


canem quindecim

by timecap_cell



Category: Original Work
Genre: Animal Abuse, Assault, Attempted Kidnapping, Borderline Bestiality, Brother/Brother Incest, Bullying, Character Death, Homophobic Language, M/M, Masturbation, Mental Instability, Oral Sex, Original Character(s), Original Dog Character(s) - Freeform, Rape/Non-con Elements, Violence, inappropriate touching of a minor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2021-04-19
Packaged: 2021-04-20 15:40:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 23
Words: 80,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21987031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/timecap_cell/pseuds/timecap_cell
Summary: Man's best friend, in sickness and in health, 'til death do them part.
Relationships: Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Comments: 40
Kudos: 87





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> "Dead, I am the dog  
Hound of hell, you cry  
Devil on your back  
I can never die"

It was strange, the sound he heard. A sound like a blaring horn on an oversized truck, yet it was muffled and quiet. Distant and far off, it sounded like it was right on top of him. It didn't make sense; he couldn't figure it out; god, he was so tired.

His eyes focused to see zebra-stripes beneath his feet. A crosswalk.

He had just started to think he should probably get out of the way when the sound of brakes squealing in slow motion faded into his ears, and he looked up to see the huge, hulking death on wheels that he had just walked in front of.

This was the end.

Someone screamed, and his last thought would be how annoying women were.

Then something heavy slammed into his back. His thin body was launched forward, hitting the pavement hard. Skidding along the concrete, he only stopped when he hit the curb on the other side of the road. His clothes were shredded in places, skin torn just as ragged, and the pain that began to throb throughout his entire body finally managed to snap him out of his exhausted haze.

His head shot up, ignoring the searing pain that burned through him. A large semi-truck was stopped in the middle of the intersection he had wandered into – he didn't even know what color the light had been – and people had begun to gather, cell phones at the ready. The driver of the truck started to climb out, terror on his face, but he went ignored. There were more important things.

"Shadow," he groaned weakly.

He pulled strength from somewhere, his shared soul or the depths of hell itself. He began to crawl his way back into the road, breaths coming heavy and tears welling, though this was nothing new. His eyes stayed focused on the large, black lump that lay in the road.

"Are you alright, kid?" The driver had approached him, crouching as if to help. His efforts were ignored.

"Shadow..."

"That your dog, son?" a bystander asked, a sympathetic voice coming from behind a bushy mustache. "I'm sorry but... I don't think he's going to make it."

He wanted to tell the guy – everyone – to shut up and go away, that he didn't know anything, but didn't bother. He needed to preserve his energy for what was to come.

Shadow lay on his side where he must have landed after getting hit. His breathing came rapid, heart struggling to pump blood through his broken body. Blood soaked his pitch-black fur, skin scraped and torn in places. A rib bone showed through where his hide had been ripped away, and one leg was bent backwards. He wouldn't be able to walk away this time.

"Shadow?"

The whimper he got in response was encouraging, and he fought to climb to his feet. He would have to carry Shadow somewhere, though he wondered if he would be able to. He was hurt himself, and the labrador wasn't exactly light.

But he didn't have a choice. They couldn’t stay here, with all these annoying and nosy people around. So he bent down, wrapped his arms around Shadow, and began to lift.

"Kid, just leave it!" the driver said. "Wait for the ambulance!"

"Stay away from me!" he snapped, stomping a threatening step toward the man. And, despite being a skinny fifteen-year-old, he managed to intimidate the driver into stepping away. Then he went back to his task, summoning strength and adrenaline to help him lift Shadow's body at least enough to start dragging him away to somewhere private.

"Just remember, you walked in front of me!" the truck's driver called out, already beginning his defense in front of all the recording cameras. "I'm not at fault here!"

He surely helped the driver's case by just walking away. It wasn't like he was going to press charges anyway – by the end of the day, there wouldn't be anything to press charges against.

He managed to drag Shadow's heavy body into an alley and rested against a brick wall on the opposite side of a garbage dumpster. He was sure at least a couple people had followed him, but as long as they didn't approach or get in his way, he didn't care. So he slid his back down the wall, hissing in agony as he plopped into a sit. Shadow whimpered, and he pet the dog's head in soothing, loving strokes. "It's okay," he whispered. "It'll be okay."

Then his hand stopped as his vision began to fade. He was going to black out – it would be worth it. Forcing his eyes open, he looked to the exposed wound on Shadow's side, finding it healing already. The bone was no longer exposed, a thin film of new skin already grown over it. His broken leg had already twisted itself to the proper direction.

Deep, even breaths, and then he forced his hand to move, crawling to the pocket of his uniform blazer. His fingers touched his slim phone, and he took another deep breath before forcing his hand to grab the device and pull it from the pocket. He couldn't hold his arm up anymore, too damn tired.

His thumb tapped out the right buttons, speaker function and his own, personal emergency number. The kind, old voice that answered filled him with warmth.

"Young Master?" the voice questioned. "Are you finished with school? Shall I pick you up?"

"Jin," he replied as loudly as he could, barely above a whisper. He couldn't keep his eyes open anymore.

"Young Master!?" Concerned now. Frantic. "Are you alright!? Did something happen?"

"Jin..."

"Master Quindecim! Don't move! I'll come for you!"

If more was said, he didn't hear it.

"_He's such a strange boy._"

"_He doesn't have any friends._"

"_He doesn't talk to anyone._"

The voices came so clear – almost too clear for a dream.

It wasn't a dream.

It was a memory.

"_Get him a dog or something._"

"_Oh, yes! I've heard having a pet can improve children's communication skills!_"

"_It gives them a safe partner to practice speaking with._"

Quindecim was eight years old when he was gifted with the small, black pup in an attempt to get him to speak. But it wasn't like he was quiet because he was shy or lacked communication skills – he just didn't have anything to say. The other kids he was forced into playdates with were all stupid, spoiled little brats who just wanted to brag about all the toys and games and horses they had, as if Quindecim didn't have those things too. The adults weren't much better, taking the disdainful looks he sent them as some kind of blank-faced idiocy.

He named the puppy 'Shadow', more for the way it followed him around than because of the pitch-black fur. And if he did, indeed, start speaking more after the dog's arrival, it certainly wasn't because he had "a safe partner to practice with." It simply made him realize that communicating like a normal person was expected of him, so he did it to get everyone to leave him alone.

He didn't know what to do with the dog at first, so he ignored it. He went about his days as normal, going to school, then coming home to do... nothing. At eight years old, Quindecim had no hobbies, was uninterested in playing. Video games bored him, toys bored him, riding the horses on his family's estate bored him. He had no interest in sports or movies or machines. Sometimes he found books that could hold his attention for a time, but it was rare; he studied regularly only because he had to.

But then a tiny, black puppy with light brown – or piss-yellow, as Quindecim said – eyes was set before him, and he was instructed to take care of it. He took it as an order form his father, and added feeding and walking a dog to his routine of school and nothing.

Shadow followed him even when Quindecim hadn't attached the leash for walking. As he wandered the huge mansion he lived in, mindlessly meandering from one wing to another, the dog stayed by his side, as if content just being near, even if they weren't doing anything.

When one day he stopped his wandering to look down at the dog, the dog looked back up, and its jaw fell open to pant lightly. It looked like it was smiling.

In that moment, Quindecim got the feeling the dog – _Shadow_ – would never leave him.

The story of a boy and his dog; they became inseparable. Shadow followed Quindecim to school, waited for him all day outside the gate, then escorted him home after. They walked around the estate together, played fetch, curled up in front of the fireplace and did nothing together. When Quindecim got picked on by his cousins, Shadow was there to protect him, growling low in his throat, baring sharp teeth. When Shadow needed his yearly checkup at the vet, Quindecim stayed by his side, keeping a comforting hand running over Shadow's head and ears.

And when Shadow was struck by a car and killed, Quindecim made a deal with the devil himself to get him back.

Light bore through his eyelids, making him squint awake. He was still tired – always so tired – but he supposed the fact that he _could_ wake up was a good sign. Shadow must have fully healed.

He opened his eyes to see Unum pulling open the next set of curtains, warm sunlight already streaming through the first window, and he immediately shut his eyes again and pulled the blanket over his head.

Laughter came from the side of the room. "You can't sleep forever."

"Watch me," Quindecim replied from his downy fortress.

"It's been three days." A weight settled on the side of his bed, and the warm spot by his side moved, betraying him. "Father says you have to go to school."

He remained still for a moment, keeping his eyes closed, though he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. Eventually, he pushed the blanket away and sat up, rubbing three days' worth of sleep crust out of his eyes. "You're my brother; you're supposed to stand up for me."

"Against Father?" Unum's lip was pulled into a gentle smile. "The best way I can protect you is to make sure you comply." There was a twinkle to those amazing blue eyes of his – a vibrant color that Quindecim shared, once upon a time.

They used to have the same golden blond hair as well, before Quindecim started fading. He wondered how long it would be before he was completely white.

Unum's smile fell, and he reached up to put a hand to Quindecim's cheek, cupping his face lightly. "I wish we knew what was wrong with you."

Silent for a moment, Quindecim let the warmth of his brother's hand seep into his skin. Unum was one of only three people who had ever shown him kindness or gentleness, so it was no wonder Quindecim adored him. At that moment, however, he played the standoffish teenager, turning his face away from the touch. "There's nothing wrong with me."

Unum's arm dropped. "It's not normal to sleep for three days."

He shrugged. "It is for some people."

Looking like he wanted to say something, Unum's mouth opened, but before he could get any words out, Shadow moved from his side into his lap, nose burying under Unum's hand, begging for attention. His tail beat against the bed, ecstatic in a way only a dog could be when Unum smiled again and began petting his ears.

"Decim told me he saw a video on YuuTube," Unum said next, quietly, as though it were a secret.

"Oh yeah?" Quindecim replied, guarded.

"He said it showed a dog who looked a lot like Shadow get hit and killed by a truck, but it was carried off by a boy who looked a lot like you."

"So?"

Unum looked over at him. "So, he thought there was enough of a resemblance to bring it to my attention." As future head of the entire family, everything was Unum's business.

"Clearly, Shadow isn't dead or even injured, so who cares? It obviously wasn't us." He couldn't have anyone else find out his secret, especially Unum. That was his way of protecting his brother in return.

A quiet moment ticked by, and then Unum looked down. "You're right." Then his gentle smile picked up again. "If Shadow had been killed, he wouldn't be here, bugging me right now," he said as he ruffled the floppy, black ears, receiving an attempted face-lick in return.

Quindecim sighed inwardly as his heart calmed down. "Decim needs to get off his computer and go outside sometime."

Unum chuckled. "Well, Uncle Neun owns a tech company, so it's no surprise he loves computers." The he stood, prompting Shadow to jump to the floor, and grabbed handfuls of Quindecim's blanket. "And speaking of needing to go outside..." He yanked, pulling the pure-white blanket away from where it had pooled around Quindecim's waist, exposing him to the room. "Get ready for school," he finished with a smile.

Wrapping his arms around himself, Quindecim gave an exaggerated shiver, but his plight went ignored. Even Shadow couldn't be bothered to pity him, too busy prancing around Unum's feet, wanting more pettings. Quindecim wanted to be pet by Unum too, but he, at least, had some pride.

"I'll tell Jin you're up," Unum said as he headed toward the door. Then he gave an adoring smile and a "Be good," and exited the room.

Quindecim slumped, but when Shadow rejoined him on the bed, he wrapped his arms around the dog and rested their heads together. His hand idly raked through the sleek, black fur, and though he knew he should be making an effort to get up and get ready for school, he found it impossible to dredge up the energy to do so. He didn't want to go – didn't want to do anything at all.

Barely five minutes had passed before his door opened again and Jin entered, his gray hair tied neatly at his nape with a black ribbon, though his suit looked as though it hadn't been pressed properly, the only sign anything was out of sorts. The butler clasped his gloved hands before him and bowed, then approached Quindecim's bed. Beneath his grayed mustache, his lips held a smile, but there was unmistakable concern in his hazel eyes. "Young Master, it's good to see you're awake."

"I'd rather not be."

Jin puffed a chuckle, but then the concern came through, causing his smile to fade. "You were in really bad shape this time. Both of you."

Quindecim gave a slow shrug. "The contract is still in place. Shadow can take a hit from a truck."

"But can you?"

His eyes averted for a moment, then he turned his head to bury his face into Shadow's neck. "Sorry..." he muttered. "I shouldn't have tried walking home. Shadow ate something and got sick during lunch, but... I thought I could make it."

Jin's smile reappeared and he leaned in toward the pair. "Master Shadow should be more careful about what he eats." Then he held out a hand, revealing a palm full of treats, which Shadow eagerly reached for, gobbling them up.

"He's a dog," Quindecim replied nonchalantly.

"Indeed, he is." Then Jin headed toward the closet, pulling it open, and for not the first time, Quindecim wondered if the butler were mad about what he had done. Having been his personal butler from birth, Jin had practically raised Quindecim himself, and was more of a father than his actual father was – or maybe more like a grandfather.

Closer than family, Jin was the only one who knew the truth about Quindecim and Shadow.

Taking a brand-new uniform from the closet, free of rips and blood, Jin turned back toward the bed, where Quindecim _still_ hadn't moved from. "I have been asked to make sure you get to school today," he said. "Shall I prepare a shower for you?"

"I want a bath," Quindecim answered, not in the mood to make this unfair demand easy for anyone.

"Young Master, there's hardly enough time for a bath."

"I have three days' worth of grime on me. I'll have to soak."

Jin stared at him a moment, as if deciding whether or not this were a battle worth fighting. He seemed to give in, though, eventually. "Then, I'll run the bath for you."

Once Jin disappeared into the bedroom's private bathroom, Quindecim heaved a sigh, then began to run his hands along Shadow's side, unsurprised when he didn't find a single scrape or scratch or hint that he had ever been hurt. It was more than Quindecim could say for himself.

He moved to turn toward the edge of the bed, spurring Shadow to jump down once again, and slowly swung his legs over, scooting forward until his feet touched the plush, white carpet at last. Carefully, he began to stand, putting weight on his weakened legs. Pain throbbed through all of the places he had been battered and bruised when he had slammed into pavement, causing him to wince and Shadow to whimper. He must have lost muscle during his three-day slumber – he could barely hold himself up.

Jin returned to the room, and that heartbreaking concern passed through his eyes again, and then he stepped to offer an arm of assistance, which Quindecim took. He would need to stay awake and do some walking for a while to get his strength back. But first, he really wanted his bath.

He stood like a pampered prince as Jin undressed him. There were advantages to being a son of a first grandson, and being practically royalty meant Quindecim was quite used to not having to lift a finger. And by the time he was nude and his bandages removed, Jin apparently deciding his scrapes were scabbed over enough to allow for a soak, the oversized tub was full and brimming with bubbles.

"Are you in need of any further assistance, Young Master?"

"No," Quindecim answered. He could at least get into the bath himself... probably.

Jin smiled, ever kind, even when Quindecim was at his most surly. "Then I'll leave you be. If you need anything else, please call for me." Then he bowed, turned, and headed for the door, but then stopped. After a moment, he turned to look back. "And please, _don't_ take your time. You must go to school today."

"Yeah, yeah," Quindecim replied, waving the butler off. He would go, as ordered, though as he sank down into the warm, lightly scented water, he got the feeling he might be a little late.

The heat seeped into him, easing his stiff, unused muscles into something more pliant. His eyes closed as he leaned back in the tub, and he felt like he could sleep for another three days, right there in the water, until he heard familiar, light panting.

Slowly opening his eyes, he saw Shadow standing by the tub, staring at him, tail wagging. So Quindecim moved to the side of the tub, folding his arms over the ledge and resting his chin on them. His wounds ached, but he would be okay. It was worth it, as long as Shadow was alright.

"Thank you for saving me," he said quietly, even though it wasn't like a dog could understand human language.

Shadow responded by darting in to lick his cheek, and for the first time in three days – probably longer – Quindecim smiled, even as he lifted a wet hand to wipe the line of dog slobber from his face.

Then Shadow got that look on his face and his body lowered to an almost-crouch.

"_No_," Quindecim chastised.

It was too little, too late. Shadow launched himself over the side of the tub, splashing in without a care to how much water sloshed out onto the floor. He half-swam, half-walked his way into Quindecim's lap, nearly stepping on the boy's dick in the process, and again attempted face-licks and wet snuggles.

"_Shadow_," Quindecim attempted to scold, though he couldn't seem to muster up much of a strict voice. Shadow always got like this, overly affectionate and clingy, after Quindecim had a sleeping spell. It was almost like the dog had been worried or missed him, and was relieved to have him awake again.

If dogs were even capable of such feelings.

Pushing the labrador away, Quindecim again rested his arms and head on the ledge of the tub, relaxing. If he closed his eyes, he just might fall asleep again. Shadow seemed to follow suit, resting the chin of his muzzle on the ledge. Quindecim looked over at him and Shadow looked back, and then the dog's mouth cracked open.

And Shadow smiled.


	2. Chapter 2

He heard moans and desperate gasps, saw flashes of bare skin covered in sweat. This one was definitely a dream – he had never been touched like that by this man in real life.

It was his science teacher this time, Professor Koe, all long limbs and grace. The real Professor Koe was awkward and nerdy, but in dreams he was suave, smooth, and knew just where to touch. Quindecim found both versions attractive.

His dream self whimpered embarrassing sounds when long fingers caressed their way up his thighs, tickling and teasing the soft skin there. His erection strained, hard and needy, aching to be debauched by his teacher. A low chuckle in that delicious, deep voice sent shivers through him, rippling towards his groin like a rising tide.

Then the touch came, tracing a line up the sensitive underside of his cock.

Quindecim groaned himself awake.

His head lifted from where it laid on his arms, and he immediately registered the sound of his classmates laughing at him. He didn't care enough about their opinions of him to feel any kind of embarrassment, though, and when Mrs. Shale asked, unamused, "Did you have a nice dream?" from the front of the room, he didn't bother answering.

He had woken up hard, the erection from his dream carrying over into the waking world. He hated when that happened, hated being a teenager in general. He hadn't gotten facial hair yet, suspected he never would, and he was fine with that even though it gave his peers yet another reason to look down on him. He was slim and feminine in general anyway, not infrequently mistaken for a girl because of his "pretty" face. Teenage hormones hadn't made him any manlier, but they sure did send his libido out of control at the worst times.

He had no interest in dating, though. He wasn't interested in finding that special someone and going through the boring rituals of courtship, but he would be lying if he said he didn't want to feel someone pounding inside him.

His gaze turned to the window while Mrs. Shale continued her lecture about the themes and nuances of '_Romeo and Juliette_', paying as much attention to her lecture as he had when he was asleep. He fought to keep his mind off of the throbbing erection straining against his briefs.

The back-corner desk he sat at gave him a clear view of the school's front gate, flanked by a tall, marble-brick wall that separated the elite private school from the rest of the world, making it seem all the more like a fortress. And one lone sentinel sat guarding the place, wagging his tail at anyone who passed by.

Sometimes, small children stopped to pet Shadow as they walked with their mothers down the sidewalk, and Shadow always took it with gentle tail-wags to show he wasn't dangerous, but little interest otherwise. Shadow rarely showed interest in anyone besides Quindecim and a select few others.

Sometimes, some apparently jobless young adults out wandering around in the middle of the day stopped and checked the tag hanging from Shadow's collar. Usually, they were astute enough to make the connection between the name engraved on the tag and the school the dog sat in front of – the von Fürst family was renowned for their money, and Marble Hills Academy was the place for snobby rich kids. But every now and then, someone didn't make the connection. Every now and then, Quindecim watched as the person pulled out their phone to call the number on the tag, and a moment later his own phone would begin to buzz in his pocket. More than once, he had creeped someone out by describing what they were wearing before revealing that he could see them from his classroom, and yes, it was his dog.

This time around, as he watched from his lookout point, Quindecim saw a woman walk by with her own dog – a well-groomed golden retriever – on a leash. Shadow took interest in the dog, following a few steps before rearing up in an attempt to mount it. The woman had just begun to shoo Shadow away when Quindecim's head fell back to his desk, hiding his face in his arms.

If this woman called him, he was going to deny knowing anything about the black horn-dog.

He hadn't even realized he had fallen back into a dreamless sleep until he was woken by girlish voices calling his name. He cracked an eye open, lifting his head just enough to see a pair of blue-plaid skirts standing in front of his desk.

"Hey, Fürst," one of the girls – Bethany or Brenda or something – said, as if it would get him to give them any more attention. "Do you want to see our pussies?" She said it like she was trying to be sexy; she sounded like a cow.

Without waiting for a response, both girls simultaneously grabbed the hems of their skirts and lifted them, giving him a show of black satin and blue striped cotton panties. They had both shoved a banana down the front of their underwear.

"Or is this what you like better?" Elizabeth said as they both began stroking the bananas, making lewd gestures and gyrating their hips. These were supposed to be some of the richest little princesses in the country, acting like buffoons for the sake of making some kind of gay joke at his expense.

Quindecim just closed his eye and lowered his head again, not honoring them with a reaction. They laughed anyway, as did some of the boys in class, like they thought they had actually gotten to him. Convinced they had succeeded in their plan to hurt him, their footsteps and voices moved away.

He kept his head down for a moment longer, just to rest his eyes for a bit. He heard students yelling and playing around him, far too much of a commotion for a lecture. It must have been lunch time.

Eventually, Quindecim sighed and stood up. He reached under his desk for his lunch bag, grabbed the teal blazer of his uniform, and then left the classroom.

The school had a large cafeteria that served high-quality food, and it wasn't like his family couldn't afford it. For a few weeks in his first year here, he ate there, finding a corner table to sit at by himself. But it was so loud, and no corner was out-of-the-way enough to keep assholes from finding him and harassing him as he tried to eat, zeroing in on the skinny, effeminate guy from the very start of his high school career. It wasn't worth it to eat there, so he began to bring his own lunch and eat outside. Jin's cooking was just as good, anyway.

It was quiet outside, and eating out there meant he could eat with Shadow. He called to the dog as he neared the gate, then detoured to sit under a fir tree, back against the white marble wall, as Shadow came trotting over to him. He gave the dog a pet, rubbing his ear affectionately even as he said, "I saw you, you little pervert."

Shadow's light pants stopped as his mouth slipped closed, and then his head tilted.

"Don't play dumb with me."

Shadow sat, tail brushing along the grass. He attempted a face-lick, which Quindecim dodged, and then began sniffing at the black lunch bag. It was time to eat.

He hadn't even gotten the bag open before a shadow crossed his path in a slow stroll, gasped lightly, and then stopped. "Quindecim?"

He wondered when they had become good enough friends to be on a first-name basis.

"Do you always eat out here alone?"

"I'm not alone," Quindecim answered, tilting his head toward Shadow.

Elizabeth laughed. It was surprisingly free of its usual nastiness or snobbery. A pretty laugh. "A dog is hardly company."

Quindecim just stared at her blankly, waiting for her to get tired of him and leave him alone. When she didn't – when the wind started to gently blow her long, baby-brown hair around and make her skirt flutter; when loose flower petals blew scattered between them – he finally responded with, "You're alone too."

It was a simple observation, but for some reason it made her cheeks pink with blush. "_Well_! That's just because the food here isn't good enough for my sensitive pallet. I'm waiting for my servant to bring me my usual five-star catering."

"I hope he brings it soon, or you won't have enough time to eat." Like he wouldn't if she didn't piss off. "You'll have to settle for a banana."

For a moment, her face turned redder, embarrassment and fury crossing her eyes. But then some kind of mask seemed to settle over her face, her eyes narrowing and her painted lips curling up into a not-so-pretty smirk. Her hands went to her hips, pushing her chest out. "I'll make a deal with you, _Fürst_. Kiss my shoe, and _maybe_ I'll keep you company."

Quindecim sighed, then stood up. She clearly wasn't going to leave, so he would. Maybe he would just go home, go to bed. "I don't need or want your company." He turned, walking away from her, Shadow at his heel. He hadn't intended on saying anything more to her.

She grabbed the upper sleeve of his blazer, pulling him back. When he was turned to face her again, he found her with wide, brown eyes, staring at her own hand like it had moved without her permission. But then she looked up to meet his gaze. "You- You're being awfully rude to me."

Quindecim tugged his arm back, but it wasn't enough to get her to let go. "Good. You and your asshole friends go out of your way to torment me every day; you deserve some rudeness."

"Well, I'm trying to be nice now."

"I don't need your brand of niceness." He tugged his arm again, and his sleeve finally pulled free from her grasp. "Just leave me alone."

Her lips pulled down into a frown, almost looking hurt, and then she said, "If you don't have lunch with me, I'll tell the school you brought your dog here." She gave a snooty little 'hmph' before adding, "Animals aren't allowed on campus, you know."

"They allow you."

She snarled, and Quindecim braced himself. He expected a dainty slap to the face – he did not expect her to rear her fist back like a street brawler, fire in her eyes.

The expected punch never came. Instead, the girl seemed to be pulled back a step at the same time a low growl rose from below. They both looked down to see Shadow tugging the hem of her skirt, holding it fast between his teeth. He gave another little warning growl.

"Let go, you nasty beast," Elizabeth said as she began to pull at her skirt, trying to tug it free. Shadow didn't release it, though; his tail and posture were straight and stiff – he still considered her a threat. "Let go!" She yanked a little bit harder, still not enough. "Oh my god, if you rip my skirt, you're going to pay for it!"

Quindecim said nothing, did nothing. Just as this girl never said or did anything to help him when her friends harassed him, he did nothing to help her. Unlike her, however, he didn't join in.

Then angry, brown eyes turned back to him. "Call your dog off! Make him let go!" She tugged her skirt again, but not hard. It seemed like she really was worried about it ripping, though anyone going to this school should be able to easily afford ten more of the uniform piece, despite them being four-hundred dollars each. Some of the girls here boasted only ever wearing their skirts once and then throwing them away. At least this girl wasn't _that_ wasteful. "Make him let go, or I'll tell the police he attacked me! I'll have him put down!"

Like that would do any good.

"You won't do anything," Quindecim replied, his face remaining impassive. "All anyone would have to do is check the security cam footage and they'll see that you're lying."

She stopped her struggles, eyes widening a telltale fraction. "Security cam...?"

"You didn't know? This place is covered in cameras. I mean, a school this expensive, of course it is." She seemed stunned by his words, as if she hadn't heard anything about security cameras before – and he knew for a fact that she hadn't, so he used her shocked moment of stillness to his advantage, taking a step closer, barging in on her personal space. They had turned it around, he and Shadow. He would make her want to leave him alone. His voice went low as he said, "There are cameras in the classrooms, too."

Her eyes widened further as a small gasp escaped her, and Quindecim knew _that_ incident was playing in her mind. Not the one from earlier that day, but further back.

Elizabeth Angelov had transferred to the school several weeks after freshman year had already started, after all the cliques had already formed. She had seemed friendly at first, trying to talk to everyone – including and _especially_ Quindecim. He wasn't stupid, he got that she liked him, but it was nothing more than an annoyance for him. He wasn't interested in dating, and she didn't have the physical equipment he was interested in, either.

His signs of disinterest, lack of responses, attempts to ignore her all went over her head. And when he woke up in the classroom one day, long after the last bell had rung, he found her looking at him, a little smile playing on her pretty face. The rest of the class had left, and they were alone.

That day, Quindecim had stood without a word and began to gather his things, intending to leave. Elizabeth Angelov, however, seemed to think this was the right moment to make her move, perhaps emboldened by the solitude of the empty class, or perhaps finding the quiet atmosphere romantic enough. She stepped close to him, pushing her ample chest against him, and he stepped back. He continued to step back as she continued to advance, until his back pressed against the row of windows, halting his retreat. Her plush breasts pushed against his chest as she brought a hand to his shoulder and leaned in.

Her lips had come a breath away from his own before Quindecim finally had enough and pushed her away. He didn't care about the hurt that crossed her face or the embarrassment that colored her cheeks.

That same embarrassed blush tinted her face now, as she considered that attempt – that _rejection_ – being watched and recorded by some unseen security staff.

Quindecim stepped back, saying an almost bored, "So go ahead and call the police. I'm sure they would love to investigate all of our interactions." Then he turned and walked away, calling for Shadow as he did so.

Thankfully, they weren't followed.

Another unseen corner, another fir tree, and Quindecim was finally able to dig into his lunch bag. His questing hand bypassed the plastic cup of dogfood – Shadow's own prepared lunch – and went for the slow-roasted chicken. The meat pulled easily from the bone, and he fed the pieces to his deserving Shadow. And Shadow took the chicken daintily, careful not to nip with his sharp teeth, practically swallowing the pieces whole. His tongue came out after, licking the juices from Quindecim's fingers and sending a tingle up his arm.

Then Quindecim sat back with a sigh, and closed his eyes again.


	3. Chapter 3

He looked like a doll, and he hated it.

'Sunday casual' was anything but. Aristocratic families didn't wear jeans and t-shirts, according to Grandfather, so Quindecim found himself stuffed into ruffles and lace for the luncheon, made all the worse by Father's decision to play up his youthfulness by having him in shorts. The cap he was given was just as ridiculous as the rest, and he just might "lose" it somewhere in the far reaches of Grandfather's estate once they arrived.

He couldn't argue or rebel, though; not when Father was already cross with him for missing classes again. "I'm not paying for you to sleep on that campus," Father had said. On one hand, Quindecim understood; on the other hand, he was _tired_. Living for two was exhausting.

He stared at himself in the mirror of his private bathroom, gaze fixed on the dark stains under his eyes. Some days, the bags were so bad they blotted out the mole that dotted the corner of his left eye. Today, they weren't so bad.

"The car will be leaving in five minutes, Young Master," Jin said as he entered the room, carrying the most ridiculous pair of powder-blue saddle shoes. Then he looked Quindecim over, and the corners of his moustache turned up. "That outfit is very becoming on you."

"Shut up," Quindecim muttered as he turned and walked out of the bathroom. He allowed himself a moment of petulance as he sat on his bed, then held up one knee-socked foot for Jin to feed into a shoe.

A short cape was added to the ensemble, the only bit of warmth he was allowed, but the weather had been fair lately anyway, so he wasn't concerned. He followed Jin to the bedroom door, where Shadow pranced up to join them – he had been bathed and brushed until his fur shone like black diamonds, a powder-blue ribbon tied around his neck – and together the three of them headed to the grand foyer of the house.

Father was dressed in a sharp gray suit with powder-blue accents, and Unum was much the same, though his shirt was ruffled. Quindecim was the only one who didn't get to look like an adult, and his brow ticked in irritation.

"I expect you'll be on your best behavior and stay awake throughout today's proceedings," his father said, raising a brow as he spoke.

"Yes, Father," came the reply, almost bored.

Unum just smiled. "You look very cute."

"I look like a pedophile's wet dream."

Unum laughed, even as Father gave a sharp, "Mind your words."

"Yes, Father."

They would take a hired limousine to Grandfather's estate, more out of a need for space than to make any kind of statement of wealth as they traveled. Shadow hopped in on Quindecim's heel, and nothing was said about it – Father didn't bother trying to insist the dog be left behind anymore.

Father and Unum sat side-by-side in the back seat, while Quindecim took the side seat, Shadow sitting on the floor at his feet. Jin and the other servants were in a separate car, following behind for the hour-long trip.

"It is the first gathering of spring; try to enjoy yourselves." Father didn't look at them as he spoke, gaze staring straight, but then he gave his version of a smile. It was a forced kind of pull to his lips, never meeting his eyes. Quindecim couldn't even remember the last time he had seen his father smile for real, but it was probably at least twelve years ago. "It's an exciting occasion, don't you think?" His intonation rose as his gaze slid over to Unum.

"Yes, it is," Unum answered, keeping his chin held high, though his fingers tightened their intertwined hold on themselves.

"Are you nervous?"

"Of course not." Unum also kept his gaze forward, as if aware of Father's study of his face and expression.

Quindecim just watched the two of them with a crinkle to his brow. Clearly, he had been left out of something.

The rest of the trip went in silence. Father eventually pulled out his phone and attended to some work, while Unum did the same. Quindecim just turned his gaze to stare out the window, his hand finding its way to Shadow's head to play with the dog's ears absentmindedly. He knew they were getting close to the estate when other limos began to join them, falling in line behind their car.

They were the premiere guests, carrying not only the previous generation's first grandchild – the next head of the family – but this generation's as well. It would only be a matter of years before Grandfather passed and Father took over as Head, and he was already given the respect that title held. No matter who arrived first, nobody could step foot on the estate's grounds until the future Head and his children had exited their car. Uncles and cousins could then follow in turn.

When Father did take over and all their positions shifted, Quindecim would have to ride in his own car, and would be dead last to be allowed out.

The car door was opened, and Father climbed out, giving a polite nod to the driver. He paused only for a moment, giving Unum and Quindecim time to exit the limo and fall in step behind him, walking side-by-side, though events like these reminded Quindecim that some day their positions within the family would change dramatically.

First and last.

Their personal servants rushed to their sides as they headed into the house, Jin's presence a comfort for Quindecim. Shadow strode alongside like he was just another member of the family, and the estate's house staff treated him as such, used to the dog after years of him accompanying the premier family.

They were led through the estate's huge entrance hall, facing them with a grand staircase leading up to the private quarters. They followed the house staff around the staircase, past a large, open waiting room, through familiar halls, and past rooms that Quindecim had never been allowed to play in and never cared to anyway. They were eventually led to a room at the back of the main house, furnished with lavish, blue velvet furniture. One entire wall of the room was glass, giving an exquisite view of the perfectly trimmed gardens outside, and sitting across from that wall, drinking tea aromatic enough to touch Quindecim's nose even before he had reached the entryway, was Grandfather.

Grandfather set his teacup down as the trio was announced, the large, blue stone of the heirloom ring on his finger catching the light and glinting with the movement. He didn't stand for them, nor was he expected to. He was still the Head of the von Fürst family, regardless of the looming future.

"Eins, my boy." Grandfather smiled as he addressed Father. "I'm so glad you could make it on this momentous day."

Father bowed deeply. "I'm happy to see you in good health, Father."

Grandfather nodded, then turned his smile to Unum, who stepped up to bow to him as well. "Today is the first day of your future, and the orange blossoms have blessed you with their blooms. How are you feeling?"

Unum straightened with a smile. "I'm excited, Grandfather."

A chuckle passed from Grandfather's lips, his blue eyes showing he was pleased with the answer, as if all were going according to plan. "Good to hear." Then his attention turned to Quindecim, who also gave a low bow, as he had done since childhood. Shadow bowed as well, a dog version, lowering his head and upper body. It was a trick he was never actively taught, just picked up on his own, and it made Grandfather's smile turn up further. "You're looking even more like your mother," he said.

"Thank you," Quindecim replied. His mother had been beautiful, so he took the statement as a compliment.

"You will be turning sixteen soon, yes?"

"Yes, Grandfather," he answered. "Next month."

Grandfather gave a light laugh. "Oh, you're growing so quickly! It's a difficult age for young men, but I trust you will keep your purity safe." He touched the ring on his finger almost absentmindedly, though it was doubtful that the movement wasn't completely intentional.

Quindecim lowered his head. He was hoping he could go one visit without hearing about that. For a family that put so much emphasis on having babies as soon as possible, they sure did talk a lot about purity. "Of course, Grandfather."

With an affirming nod, Grandfather's gaze moved back to Unum, then to Father, as he said, "You may enjoy the gardens until lunch is prepared. Be sure to see the orange blossoms."

They all bowed once more, taking their leave. It was more of a greeting than anyone else would get, though Quindecim saw that Uncle Zwei and his wife were already waiting patiently in the hallway to be announced to Grandfather. As they were led to a sliding glass panel of the picture window to be let out into the gardens, he saw Tres standing behind his parents, and when their gazes met, his cousin sneered.

Quindecim just turned and exited the house.

Father left them to wander his own path, likely to wait for his brothers and discuss 'adult' affairs while the wives caught up and gossiped. Their servants left them as well, off to work with the estate's staff, preparing the meal and setting up the tables. Quindecim stuffed his hands in his pockets, muttering an "I'm going to the fields" as he turned to head towards the expansive tract of land where the horses were run. He assumed Unum would prefer to hang out with their cousins, all closer to him in age, some only a week or so younger.

So it was a surprise when Unum said a soft, "I'll go with you."

He shrugged his shoulders, playing nonchalant, but Quindecim's heart warmed in a way it rarely did. Unum stayed near as they walked, arms brushing occasionally, and when they were far enough away from the main house, he took Quindecim's hand, intertwining their fingers. Shadow trotted alongside them, and for a long while, they simply walked wordlessly. When a gust of spring wind lifted the silly hat from Quindecim's head and blew it across the field, he made no move to retrieve it, and Unum only laughed. For a while, it was peaceful.

It wasn't until they were standing under one of the prized orange trees, the full, white blooms filling the air with their sweet fragrance, that Unum let go of Quindecim's hand, stepped to face him directly, and smiled. "It'll be announced later today, but I wanted to tell you myself in advance that..." He paused, as if the words were difficult. He had to force them out. "I'm getting married."

It hurt, the way Quindecim's heart broke. Little fragments of himself shattered and pierced his chest from the inside. He felt his mouth pull into a frown, even as he tried to play it cool. He wanted to say that it was nice, that he was happy for his brother, but nothing came out. His mouth stayed clamped shut, his lips stuck in their near pout, and his eyes drifted to the side.

"Not until next year, of course, when I'm old enough, but..."

But he had to do what was expected of him, had to take his place at the starting line in their generation's race to breed. If Unum had the first grandchild, he would continue the already unprecedented streak of first bearing first.

"I'll be marrying Daniella Advent. She's the first daughter of the Advent family. Do you know her? She's really pretty and smart. We've been courting for a few months now and..." His voice trailed off, silent a beat. Then he pleaded a thick, "Quindecim, say something."

He should give congrats or a smile or a thumbs-up or something – instead came, "So you're going to leave me too."

Before he knew it, Unum's arms were around him, pulling him close. Quindecim rested his head against his brother's chest, though he didn't otherwise move to return the embrace. The wind blew around them, carrying the fragrance of the orange blossoms, but the rest of the world had gone quiet. Quindecim's comfortable world fell apart, and it was completely silent.

Then Unum lowered to his knees, pulling Quindecim down with him. He framed Quindecim's face in his slender hands, and then he leaned in to push a kiss against his lips, a comforting gesture they had shared since childhood.

"I'm not leaving you," Unum said then, though they both knew the reality of it. He would graduate university, be bestowed with his own multi-billion-dollar company to run, then get married and start having the family's next generation. He wouldn't have time to visit – they would only ever see each other at family gatherings like this.

"You are," Quindecim stated quietly. "Just like Mother did."

"_No_." For a moment, Unum looked as though he had been struck, but then his face softened once again. "No. I'll make time for you, I promise."

Quindecim didn't bother calling him out on it, just turned his face away again. Yet, when Unum sat back, plopping to the ground regardless of his expensive suit, and rested his back against the tree, Quindecim went with him. He laid against his brother, cuddling against him, wanting to be close while he could. He couldn't say the things he wanted to – that he didn't want Unum to marry someone else, that he was _his_ brother and didn't belong with anyone else, that he hoped Daniella Advent was bad in bed. He couldn't say any of those things, so he didn't say anything at all. And when his eyelids began to feel overly heavy, he slid down to rest his head on Unum's lap.

The warmth of the day made it difficult to keep his eyes open, and when Unum's hand found its way into his hair, running soothing strokes through the long part of his asymmetrical haircut, it became impossible. The last thing he saw was Shadow's head laying down on Unum's opposite leg, and the last thing he heard was Unum's lovely laugh, and a soft, "Well, you'll always have Shadow."

He woke to low growling, bursting to a full, threatening bark. Pulling himself out of his haze of sleep as quickly as he could, Shadow's growls a warning that had him instinctively on edge, Quindecim opened his eyes just in time to see the clump of grass and dirt that pelted him in the face.

"Wake the fuck up, _Fifteen_."

He glared up at Tres but couldn't think of anything scathing enough to say, so didn't reply.

"It's lunch time. Get your ass up." Tres started to turn away, but then stomped a threatening step at Shadow, who barked a deep warning once again. "If your fucking dog comes near me, I'll kill it."

Quindecim continued to glare as his cousin walked away without another word, trying to burn holes in the jerk's back. Unum must have slipped off while he slept, and Quindecim would never forgive him for that.

His heart sank.

His mother had left him, and in a year's time Unum would as well. It likely wouldn't be too long before Jin went as well. Everyone he cared about would eventually leave him, so why bother trying to get close to anyone?

He would hate everyone for a while, he decided.

Shadow's nose wedged itself between Quindecim and the ground, urging him to sit up, and Quindecim abided, only to wrap his arms around the large dog and rest against him instead. Shadow's tail beat against him when it started wagging happily, and Quindecim felt like his heart had started beating again.

He just breathed for a moment, wallowing in his sadness, but he had to eventually get a move on, before Father got even angrier with him. So he lifted his head to plant a kiss to Shadow's muzzle, almost startled to find the dog watching him carefully when he pulled back. But then Shadow panted a smile, and Quindecim smiled back softly. He ruffled the dog's ears, then said, "Come on, let's get this over with."

He brushed dirt out of his clothes and hair as he crossed the field, heading toward the grand courtyard, where the luncheon would be held. He wouldn't bother telling anyone about what Tres had done, how he had kicked dirt at him and used vulgar words. If he said anything about the bullying, like when he had tried to say something in the past, he would just be told to stand up for himself. But it wasn't like he could fight his cousins – it was forbidden, and they were all bigger than him besides. So he used his words instead, when he could, provoking them. He wondered how far he could push them, wondered if it would be worth it to get them to lay hands on him and have them expelled from the family. So long as he wasn't killed, it might be worth getting some torments out of his life.

Everyone was standing at the ready in the courtyard, displeased looks on their faces, wanting to sit and start the event. Grandfather was already sitting at the highest table, but nobody else could sit until their turn, and the first family couldn't sit until they were all present. Father's foot tapped impatiently where he stood before the red carpet that led up to their tables. Quindecim made a show of quickening his steps.

"I told you to stay _awake_," Father scolded in a low voice.

"It's my fault," Unum cut in before Quindecim could even open his mouth. "I told him he could rest for a while. He's sick, you know." Then his eyes drew away as he quietly added, "Like Mother was."

That wasn't exactly true and Quindecim had told Unum that several times, but perhaps they were both traumatized by Mother's illness, or perhaps Unum was more manipulative than anyone gave him credit for. Either way, Quindecim kept silent, not inclined to ruin Unum's attempt to cover for him.

"You are not yet in a position to supersede my instructions," Father warned.

Unum hung his head. "Yes, Father." Yet, when Father turned to face the tables again, Unum glanced over to Quindecim and smiled.

The servants stood in line at the red carpet, ready with their wet towels to wipe their charges' hands and shoes to keep things tidy. It was a ceremonial cleansing, more than anything, the brief wipe-down never actually cleaning their shoes off enough to keep dirt from getting on the carpet. It was tradition, and the family had run on tradition for as long as anyone could remember.

Edmunt wiped Father's hands, then took a knee to wipe each shoe as Father lifted his feet, one at a time. Then he moved away for Lucrezia to step up and do the same for Unum. The warmth of the towel seeped into Quindecim's fingers as Jin took his hands and wiped him gently, and Quindecim lifted each foot so that any dirt clinging to the ridiculous shoes could be wiped away. When Jin finished, however, unlike the others, he produced a second towel, with which he wiped each of Shadow's paws. He did it with a smile, and no one would ever dare comment on him wiping a dog's feet.

They followed Father's ascent up the raised tiers of tables, heading to the top. Father paused before where Grandfather sat and delivered a polite bow before continuing up, crossing behind him, and taking a seat at Grandfather's left hand. Unum, Quindecim, and Shadow bowed as well, then moved to take their seats at the table one tier below.

It was Unum who had talked Grandfather into allowing Shadow to sit at the table with them, after noticing Quindecim wouldn't speak unless the dog was by his side. Only fourteen years old at the time, Unum was still well-spoken and compelling enough to convince Grandfather and Father both, and ever since then, Shadow received his own place setting alongside them.

As they sat, Quindecim couldn't help a glance at his beloved brother, who was everything he could never be.

Uncle Zwei and his sons came next, following the same pattern – the same tradition – but while Uncle Zwei himself sat at the top table next to Father, his sons had to take their proper place below. As the third grandson, Tres and his brothers had to sit at the fourth-tier table, two levels below Quindecim, as was tradition. The hot glare Tres kept fixed on Quindecim as he followed the seating ceremony said exactly what he thought about that particular custom.

A curl briefly flashed across Quindecim's lip. He didn't make the rules they all followed, and it pissed him off that he received such vitriol from Tres and some of the others because of things he couldn't help. He didn't ask to be the son of a first grandson; he didn't ask to be the brother of another first grandson; he didn't ask for the privileges their positions gave him, and while at one point he may have agreed with his cousins that the traditions needed to change, years of misdirected bullying and resentment killed any sympathy he may have had for them.

Tres looked over his shoulder to continue his glare at Quindecim, but it was interrupted by Duo and his brothers passing by to take their seats at the third-tier table. By the time they were sitting, Quattuor's and Quinque's twin bulk mostly blocking Quindecim's view of the other table, Tres had turned back away.

After the six tier tables were sat and the wives, daughters, and an assortment of other extended relatives whose ranks didn't permit them a seat on the tiers were at their tables on the ground level, a round of tea was served, with a dish of water for Shadow, accompanied by a small plate of tea cakes, with a dog-friendly version for Shadow. Food preparation for family events was always busier for Jin than for any of the other servants, but the old man never complained, even when Quindecim all but ordered him to say something if attending to Shadow was ever too much of a burden. A butler through and through, Jin seemed happy to simply be of service, quipping that Shadow was not the greater burden between his two charges.

Tea was the luncheon's warm-up, and as the family enjoyed the flavorful jasmine together, the hum of burgeoning conversation rose throughout the courtyard. Unum chatted companionably with Duo, who sat sideways in his seat, legs crossed casually, to look up at his cousin through his silver-rimmed glasses. Quattuor and Quinque seemed to have gotten Novem's attention with an animated retelling of their latest college football game, the words "Dude" or "Bro" dropping from their lips with every sentence, while beside them, Tredecim sat quietly with his head propped up in a hand, looking like he wanted to be literally anywhere else.

All conversation died when Grandfather stood, two of his own personal servants but a step behind him, ready to catch him if his legs became too weak or jump if he had need for anything.

"It is so good to see you all, my beloved family," Grandfather said, a smile on his face and in his eyes. He gave the spring version of the same opening speech he gave at the winter gathering, same as the year before and before that. All tradition. Quindecim followed the speech word-for-word in his head, until Grandfather diverted, saying, "The warming weather brings with it happy news. Just as the orange trees grow more branches bearing its blessing, so too shall our family grow its branches and bring forth ripe fruit."

Then he smiled down at Father, who took his cue to stand.

"I last stood before you some sixteen years ago," Father began, smiling something that was polite, at least. "At that time, I was blessed with the honor to announce the impending birth of my youngest son, Quindecim." The smile faltered, though Father forced it back into place. Mother was already sick at that time, but desperate for another child. Quindecim never blamed himself for overburdening her already weak constitution, but the pregnancy and childbirth sure hadn't helped.

"I now stand before you with another blessing. My eldest son, Unum von Fürst, first grandson of my father, Primeiro von Fürst, is engaged to be wed."

A round of applause rang through the courtyard, the wives and daughters sounding the most enthusiastic, and Unum smiled and waved in thanks. And while their cousins clapped along as expected of them, Quindecim could see the fire that had lit in some of their eyes.

The game was on. First to bear a son wins.

Some more words were said, about solidifying the future of the family and how joyous it all supposedly was. The bride-to-be's name was only mentioned once, which was just about the same treatment daughters in their family got when they were sent off to be married into other powerful families. Quindecim stopped listening after a very short while, and simply stared at his hands. He clapped automatically when everyone else did, but he didn't want to hear any of it. He didn't want anything to do with the world of adults.

When the final words were said at last, Quindecim looked up to find Unum watching him carefully, something sad and lost in his own blue eyes.

It was beyond a relief when the food was finally served, giving Quindecim something to focus on besides his brother's exciting future. Shadow got his own exquisite filet mignon served in a gilded bowl that matched the rest of the server ware, and he was well-trained enough to know not to dig in until the humans did, who were all well-trained enough to know not to start until after Grandfather had taken his first bite.

Quindecim picked at his food, not especially hungry, though he knew he should try to get some calories – some energy – in him. He had forced two bites of his filet into his mouth before he looked up, and happened to catch Tres looking back, glaring at him as always.

"You don't belong up there," Tres hissed, an attempt to remind Quindecim of his place as last. It would be nice if for once he targeted Tredecim or the twins, who also sat above him, but they weren't the world's easy target.

Quindecim leaned into Shadow and brought a hand to the dog's head, ruffling his ears before saying, "Look, Shadow. Look at those people _below_ you."

Fury blazed across Tres's face, and he flew to his feet, punching the third-tier table hard enough to make the plates clang loudly and spill drinks. The twins both jumped reflexively, Quinque bellowing, "What gives, Bro!?"

Tres ignored them and everyone else who had turned their attention to the noise. "I'm going to kill you, you little shit!" he snapped, gaze laser-focused on Quindecim.

The scrape of a chair drew Quindecim's gaze behind him to see Father begin to stand, and Grandfather's hand moving to still him.

"Come on, you guys," Unum said. "It's an exciting day for me; please don't ruin it. If something is troubling you, we can talk about it later, but for now, let's enjoy lunch." His voice remained pleasant, but the underlying meaning behind his friendly words was clear – knock it off. Grandfather would be pleased at his control of the situation.

Tres's eyes narrowed and his lip curled to flash a snarl, and then he dropped himself back into his chair, turning his back to them.

Unum cast a worried glance at Quindecim, but it wasn't necessary. Quindecim was pleased. He felt like he had won. Tres had threatened him in front of everyone; now if something happened to him, there was grounds to get Tres exiled from the family. It wouldn't raise his own position any, but if Quindecim played his cards right, he could be rid of one annoyance.

"Quindecim..." Unum said softly, concern in his voice.

Quindecim turned his face into Shadow's neck, hiding his irrepressible grin.


	4. Chapter 4

Mother sang.

She sang all the time. It soothed him as a child, lulled him to sleep when he was fussy. He loved Mother's voice, as soft and gentle as she was, embracing him tenderly. The exquisite, feathery blankets that lined his crib didn't come close to warming him like that voice did.

Mother laughed.

Light, like sunshine, tinkling like silver bells. When Father brought her gifts, and they smiled at each other until the laughter bubbled out of her. When Unum presented another perfect report card to her. When Quindecim hid behind her skirts and the other mothers tittered about how shy he was. It was infectious, her laugh, making everyone around her happy with contagious joy.

Mother sang. Mother laughed.

And then it was silent.

_"Why do you cry, little one?"_

The city and all the noisy people in it had disappeared, swallowed by all-enveloping darkness. A moment before, there had been spectators and eavesdroppers, overbearing buildings, and cars that couldn't be bothered to stop for the red. There had been bustling life, and then suddenly there was nothing. Just blackness, the mangled body of a dog, and Quindecim.

And a voice.

_"Why do you hurt?"_

Through blurry, tearful eyes, Quindecim saw a figure fade into view, coming together as if spun by the darkness itself. Black hair, black eyes, black clothes. Somehow, Quindecim knew what the figure was, but he didn't feel fear, though perhaps he should have.

All he felt was desperation.

_"Please,"_ he had begged. He didn't care about the consequence; he had lost too much already. _"Give him back to me. _Please_. I need him."_

_"To do that would cost a very steep price."_

Quindecim had scrubbed his sleeve over his face, wiping tears away to turn a determined glare to the demon. _"I'll pay it."_

_"It's not money, little one."_

_"It's my soul, right? Take it."_

The figure's brow rose, the only outward sign of surprise, and then a wicked grin curled his lips. _"You would give your soul for a dog?"_ And when Quindecim didn't answer, he began to laugh something cruel. It filled the space, the surrounding darkness seeming to vibrate with the evil sound that continued to echo in Quindecim's ears even as the demon's mouth slid shut and he approached with cat-like steps. _"Yours will be the grandest piece in my collection, indeed."_ A long tongue ran over pointed teeth.

Quindecim sniffled away the last of his tears and stood to his full, miniscule height, not wavering or backing down. He stood over Shadow's lifeless body protectively. _"What do I have to do?"_

The figure raised a hand, two fingers pressed together, and then a glowing needle formed between them. A thread as long as infinity hung from it, sparkling black, and the demon's grin turned up with a gleam. _"Just scream."_

He did scream. He screamed in agony when the needle and the demon's entire hand was jammed into his chest, piercing his soul. He screamed as the midnight thread was pulled through each fiber of his being, binding him. He screamed as Shadow's soul was woven together with his, creating a single cloth out of the two pieces with perfect, near invisible seams. All he knew then was pain, furious and consuming, and he screamed.

_"Your life is his now._

_So long as you live, he shall too._

_He shall draw from you until your last breath._

_And then you both shall be mine._

_This is our contract."_

His eyes popped open, gasping for breath.

He hated that memory, replaying in his drams like a sadistic reminder, as if he could ever forget.

He still didn't regret it.

A distant sound of thunder touched his ear, a rolling sort of sound that comforted him. The pattering of rain against the windows was soothing and calm. Quindecim liked the rain, liked the sound and the scent and the way it seemed to cleanse the world of grime and boredom, even if temporarily. It was just a shame that the deep thunder and flashes of lightening terrified Shadow, sending the dog into shaking fits.

It was a wonder that Shadow wasn't crawling under the blankets, trying to press as close to him as possible right then.

"Shadow?" he called as he sat up, pushing the covers back. The sky was so dark, it was like midnight instead of the early evening his clock claimed it was, but a lit lamp on his desk provided enough ambient light for him to see.

A light thumping drew his attention to the overpriced, luxury sofa across the room, where Shadow sat with his chin resting on the sofa's back, as if he had been gazing out the window. His tail wagged gently, tapping against the sofa at Quindecim's attention.

"What are you doing?" Quindecim asked, as if he would get a response. He stepped from the bed and moved toward the sofa, and Shadow's tail wagged more eagerly, gaze fixed on his master.

Another rolling boom of thunder, sounding worlds away but still loud enough for even Quindecim to hear, yet Shadow's eyes remained fixed on him, not a tremble nor whimper breaking his affectionate gaze.

"I thought you hated storms."

He sat, lifting a hand to run over Shadow's smooth fur, scratching behind his soft ears. Then his face turned to look out the window, watching the streams of rain run down the glass, individual drops coming together as they made their way, creating small and torrential rivers. In the window's reflection, he could see Shadow staring at him.

And then Shadow leaned forward, pressing the tip of his muzzle against Quindecim's cheek.

It was almost like a kiss.


	5. Chapter 5

Dreams. Frequent and largely unwanted. He dreamt a lot these days. Sleeping all the time meant dreaming more often, and the dreams had become more vivid since he was eleven years old, the unconscious reel often taking turns with actual memories, confusing him with what was true and what wasn't. He wondered if that was the demon's doing.

Teenage hormones often steered the course of his dreams. His mind conjured ridiculous and obscene scenarios that led to him getting touched by his teachers or penetrated by his classmates. He had a dream that was so clear, he could have confused it for a memory if it didn't take place on top of a mountain, somewhere he knew he had never been before. In it, he sat mere centimeters from the edge of a rocky cliff, unable to move backward lest he fall to his death, unable to move forward, because Unum kneeled in between his knees, running his tongue up the length of Quindecim's dick before moving to suck on the tip. Quindecim groaned wantonly, openly, because there was nobody in the whole wide world to hear.

He was so close to coming, so close to release, when he woke up with a frustrated whine.

He was being shaken.

The whole bed was, practically, a heavy weight that held him down bouncing enthusiastically. Shadow was on top of him, forearms around him, pulling the blanket into a tight, inescapable cocoon. When he felt the dog's hips thrusting against him at a rapid pace, he snapped fully awake, realizing what was happening.

"Shadow, no!" he scolded. "Down!" But Shadow didn't listen. The dog was in an amorous mood, not inclined to go against his natural instincts, and given the state of arousal Quindecim himself had woken up in, it had him burning with a sense of dread and disgust.

It was turning him on.

His hands were jammed between his legs, as if the perverse dream he had been having had him desperate to touch himself, and his hard erection pressed against his forearms each time Shadow thrust against him. But the blanket was pulled too tight around him, preventing him from moving his arms at all, keeping him from getting any leverage to sit up. He was trapped. Trapped, and coming ever closer to orgasm as his dog pounded away, only a cotton blanket between them.

Quindecim moaned, a lewd sound he hadn't wanted to make, but then he caught his breath and managed to yell, "Stop! _Stop_!" A jolt of fear passed through him that maybe Shadow wouldn't, that he would get off like this, that he would like it.

Shadow did stop, though. His movements stopped abruptly and he went still, as if thinking.

Quindecim didn't give the dog time to figure out whatever it was going through his canine mind. He panted several breaths, then called out, "_Jin_!"

Not two moments later, just long enough to move from the adjacent room, Jin rushed through the door. "Young Master, are you alright!?"

"Get him off of me!"

"Master?" There was puzzlement in Jin's voice, though Quindecim was still trapped under the blankets, unable to look up to see the butler's face.

"Get him down, and take him outside. I don't want to see him for a while."

Several seconds of uncomfortable silence ticked by, but then Jin quietly said, "Master Shadow, come."

The blanket sarcophagus opened, and Quindecim could breathe again. He didn't move though, not until he heard the jingle of Shadow's tags move across the room and the door close.

Then he threw the blanket back and sat up on his knees. He wrenched his pajama pants down, his underwear going along with them, and then wrapped his hand around his dick, squeezing it in a tight fist.

He didn't think about anything as he began to furiously stroke himself – not Shadow, not Unum, not any conjured fantasy to get off to. He didn't need it, already so close to his release. His hand slid up to swipe over the head of his cock, gathering a palmful of the precum that oozed and dripped from his tip. The slick fluid was smeared along his shaft as he resumed stroking his pulsing erection, making his hand pump faster, and he moaned, loud and lewd.

His back arched when he came, head thrown back as a desperate cry escaped his throat. His fingers squeezed tighter around his cock, pumping hard to draw out every last drop of his cum. A haze of pleasure clouded his mind, letting him forget everything for a while, and that was the best part. Perhaps he could just stay home and jerk off all day.

But soon, the haze started to fade, and all the things began to weigh on him again. He had to go to school, he had to face Unum's upcoming marriage, he had to decide whether or not Shadow should be neutered after all.

He looked down and wrinkled his nose at the cum splatters on his sheets, then climbed off the bed and headed for the shower.

He couldn't remember the last time he went to school and didn't have Shadow waiting for him outside the gate. From the moment Shadow was put into his care, he had always been there, sitting patiently, obedient.

But he hadn't been obedient that morning. Shadow had disobeyed his command, and that was what had Quindecim so upset with him. That he had essentially been violated was secondary; that it lit his body up with fire and lust wasn't even a blip on his list of issues.

He turned away from the classroom window, focusing on the teacher's lecture as best he could. At least he wasn't having any problems staying awake for once.

Lunch was taken in the classroom, no reason to go outside. For the first time in perhaps ever, he was struck with a pang of loneliness. He picked at his home-made lunch while poking mindlessly at his phone, but he didn't have any games or apps or anything installed, didn't care for anything the vast internet had to offer. Eventually, he threw his phone into his bag, packed up his lunch and gave it the same treatment, then propped his chin up in a palm and stared out the window again, staying like that through the entirety of the second half of lessons.

He was numb when he left the classroom after the last bell, more so than usual, and he really wanted nothing more than to just go home and curl up in front of the fireplace, despite the warm weather. Maybe warmth and a comfortable pillow could help him disperse the loneliness inside him.

Yet, he hadn't even made it three steps out the school doors before Brent Katze and his gang of assholes – including Elizabeth Angelov and Bethany What's-Her-Face – slithered up to block his way.

"S'up, Fürst?" Brent said, giving a smile that was more malicious than anything.

Quindecim stared at them a moment through passive, drooped eyelids, then side-stepped to go around them. Three of the boys followed his movement, continuing to block him, and Quindecim heaved a sigh.

Brent moved to slip an arm around Quindecim's shoulders, saying "Let's go have a chat" in a voice full of false friendliness. He gave a tug as if to lead Quindecim away, but Quindecim didn't budge, resisting. Until Brent's hand gripped his shoulder, fingers digging into his flesh in a vice-like claw – then Quindecim let himself be steered away, hoping he could find an out before these bastards did something to him.

He was led to a desolate corner of the school grounds, a quiet place that would otherwise be peaceful and pleasant, if circumstances were different.

"Our lovely Elizabeth here tells us your dog attacked her," Brent said after pushing Quindecim forward to face off against him. The marble-brick wall of the school was at his back and this gang of assholes was at his front, and Quindecim felt like a trapped rat. "We think you owe her an apology."

"He's just a dumb animal," Quindecim replied, about to make things so much worse, but unable to help himself. So much for getting out of this. "You can't blame him for going after a bitch in heat."

Some of the guys actually laughed, but it was cut short when Elizabeth stepped up and slapped him _hard_ across the face. It stung, sure to leave a mark, but what was worse was that it prompted two of the boys standing just behind Brent to rush forward and grab Quindecim, each holding an arm in a tight grip.

He wouldn't have had a chance to defend himself even if he'd had an arm to do so. Brent wound up and punched him, not holding back in the least. It hurt far more than a girl's slap, knocking a pained groan from him. The blow that followed hurt even more, feeling like his eye socket had been crushed, the third punch splitting open his lip.

He braced himself for the next series of punches, but they didn't come. Elizabeth herself grabbed on to Brent's arm, stopping him. "That's too far!" she cried. "You were just supposed to scare him a bit and make him apologize."

Brent's grin was more of a snarl. "He hasn't apologized yet."

Elizabeth's brows crushed together. "Th- The cameras!" she said next. "If you hurt him too much, he can press charges and use the security footage as evidence. Come on, let's just go."

"What cameras?" Brent questioned with a sneer.

"The security cameras! OF course a school this expensive is covered with security."

Quindecim hung his head to hide his smirk.

"There aren't any security cameras," Brent said, sounding like he thought Elizabeth was the dumbest bint on the planet. "Otherwise, we'd have been busted for smoking pot back here long ago. Duh."

"There are!" Elizabeth insisted. "He told me himself!"

Quindecim looked up to see Elizabeth pointing an accusatory finger at him, and he puffed a smirk. "Oh, that? I was lying about that."

Elizabeth's face went red with fury and embarrassment. "You son of a _bitch_," she spat. Then she kicked the ground, sending a clump of dirt and lawn at him. "Fuck it. I don't even care what happens to you." Then she spun on her heel, walking away from the group. Bethany followed after her, linking their arms together as they left the boys to do as they wanted.

After watching them go for a moment, Brent then turned back to Quindecim, an awful smile on his face. "Now look what you did. If she doesn't put out tonight, it's your fault."

The hold on each of his arms tightened, while Brent cracked his knuckles in a show of what was to come.

The beating lasted a good ten minutes – or maybe it was five, maybe two, he wasn't really keeping track. These assholes had wanted to do this for a while, to remind the skinny, little outcast with a mouth that they were the kings; Elizabeth's complaint was just the excuse they used.

Of course, they would have chosen the one day Shadow wasn't there. Maybe that was on purpose, or maybe it was just luck, though on whose part, he couldn't be sure.

And yet, a savior did come, running on long, awkward legs and flailing his arms, shouting "Hey! Hey, stop it now!"

Brent pulled back and turned, while the other boys let Quindecim drop to the ground. They didn't run, though – Brent actually _smiled_. "Afternoon, Professor."

Professor Koe stood before them, looking as though he were trying really hard to be intimidating. Too bad his voice shook as he said, "How dare you lay hands on another student?"

"We were just having a chat," Brent said, grin not wavering in the least.

"Violence is not tolerated at this school, young man. This will need to be reported."

Brent remained silent for a beat, fixing the teacher with a stare. Then he asked, "How's your research coming, Professor?"

Professor Koe didn't answer, only clamped his mouth shut, the cords of his throat tightening.

"I hear you've applied for quite a large grant from Katze Biomedical Foundation." Brent's eyes narrowed, turning his smile into something far from pleasant. "Oh, that's my father's company, by the way."

Well, wasn't today just grand? If literally any other teacher had found them, Brent and his troupe of goons may have been suspended, or even expelled. Instead, Quindecim's hero was the one person Brent could hold something over.

"My... My research is going very well, thank you," Professor Koe finally replied. "That aside, I... have something I must discuss with Mr. von Fürst."

"Sure thing," Brent said, smile widening in victory. "We were finished anyway. Right, Fürst?"

Quindecim just glared, hoping for the day that asshole was found with his throat torn out.

With a passing smirk, Brent strolled casually away, his goons following after. Quindecim and their teacher both watched them go, and then Professor Koe rushed to Quindecim's side, kneeling on the ground. "Are you alright?"

Quindecim turned cynical eyes to his _heroic_ savior. "Yeah, I'm great."

Professor Koe's dark eyes slid down, looking guilty. But then he stood, taking Quindecim's arm to pull him up as well. "Come. Let's get you cleaned up."

The office smelled of tea. Quindecim liked Professor Koe's private office, the scent and the atmosphere, as he sat on the teacher's large and overly cluttered desk. It put him at just the right height for Professor Koe to reach his face and dab at the cuts with a swab. Whatever disinfectant the professor had dipped the swab in stung when it touched the fresh wounds, and Quindecim hissed as his head jerked away reflexively.

"My apologies," Professor Koe said as he placed a hand to the back of Quindecim's head to hold him still. "I don't want you to get any infections."

Quindecim just made a sound of acknowledgment and tried his best not to move.

"Do they... Do those boys hurt you often?"

He stayed silent for a second, but then answered, "They tease me a lot, but this was the first time they've gotten physical."

Professor Koe's elegant lips turned down for a moment. "If they hurt you again, please tell me. I'll... make sure something gets done about it."

Quindecim's lip pulled up. He meant it to be sarcastic, but somehow it felt more like amused when he asked, "What about your research grant?"

"Don't you worry about that," came the reply as Professor Koe dabbed at another cut.

They fell quiet for a bit, until the cuts were clean and Professor Koe began placing small bandages over them. Quindecim's tongue darted out to taste the metallic tinge of the cut on his lip, and he just happened to catch the professor's finger as a bandage was being applied to the side of his mouth.

Professor Koe's hand pulled back like a shot, eyes going wide behind his glasses and cheeks flushing pink.

"Sorry," Quindecim said, and then he ran his tongue over the cut on his lip once more.

Professor Koe swallowed loud, blushing further, and then he turned away. "I- I'll fix an ice pack for your eye."

Quindecim smirked when the teacher's back was turned.

"H-How are your classes going?" Professor Koe asked as he carried a blue pouch he had dug out from his first-aid kit over to a mini-fridge in the office's corner.

"Fine," Quindecim answered, bored.

Elegant fingers picked ice cubes from a tray and fed them into the pouch. "You seem to be doing well in science, at least." At Quindecim's shrug, Professor Koe gave a soft smile, then twisted the cap onto the ice pack. "Particularly in biology. Do you have an interest in it?"

"Not really."

The teacher's smile dipped, but then picked right back up, as if remembering that Quindecim was just a childish, disaffected teenager, not to be taken too seriously. "Well, then you must have a knack for it." He stepped across the cluttered office, standing before Quindecim once again, and lifted the ice pack to tentatively press it to Quindecim's swelling eye. "Have you thought about a future in the medical field?"

Of course he hadn't. He didn't get a say in his future – Father would tell him what to do, what to study, which of the family's companies he would work for. All he answered, though, was a simple, "No."

Professor Koe's smile tightened, and then he stepped back, prompting Quindecim to take and hold the ice pack himself. "You should think about it, unless there's something else you would rather do." He began to pack his first-aid kit back up, putting away his bottles of disinfectant and leftover bandages. "I think you would find it stimulating."

Quindecim let his eyes run down the long lines of his teacher's body, taken by the way the man's fingers tripped over each other. Then he smiled, asking "Do you find it _stimulating_, Professor?" And when Professor Koe looked up at him with a questioning sound, Quindecim leaned back a bit and spread his legs. "Biology?"

Professor Koe dropped the packet of swabs he held, scattering cotton-tips across the floor. "A-ah! I'm sorry!" His face went red once again as he apologized for no reason. He bent to clean up the swabs, only to crack his forehead on the cabinet in front of him. Quindecim had to hold back laughter as his teacher stood up, holding a hand to his head and groaning in pain.

Sliding off the desk, Quindecim approached the other man, trying to put sensuality into his steps. But his voice was soft – softer than he had meant it to be – when he said, "Thank you, Professor." He reached up to press the ice pack to Professor Koe's forehead; he had to stand on his tip-toes to do so. "I'll give it some thought."

"A... Ah..."

"I'll see you tomorrow," Quindecim said next, giving a sweet smile that made his teacher's face flush something pained and needy, cinching Quindecim's suspicions – Professor Koe was attracted to him.

It made him want to ruin the man. He wanted to press against him, draw those long fingers to his body until the professor couldn't help but indulge in him. He wanted those elegant hands on his thighs, on his hips, on his chest; he wanted his teacher to break, push into him knowing the consequences but helpless to stop himself.

All Quindecim did, though, was slowly turn and head for the office door, grabbing his bag as he headed out.

He had barely breached the doorway when Professor Koe called out, "Mr. von Fürst!" Rushing to stop him, he put a warm hand to Quindecim's shoulder. When Quindecim turned back with a questioning look, Professor Koe swallowed audibly. "Di- Did you need a ride home?"

Quindecim smiled again, then replied, "That's all right. I'll have my butler come for me."

"O-Oh..." The blush staining the man's cheeks was almost cute. "Then... See you tomorrow."

"Goodbye, Professor."

He didn't call for Jin, though. Despite his body being sore from the beating he had taken, walking helped to clear his mind, so that by the time he had arrived at the front gate of his family's estate, he was ready to forgive the black monster that greeted him with guilty eyes and a pathetic whimper.

If Shadow had been there today, maybe things would have gone better; maybe those assholes could have been chased off before they could lay a finger on him.

Maybe it would have gone worse.

Quindecim crouched down to wrap his arms around Shadow, burying his face into the dog's soft fur. The rest of the day's garbage aside, he had missed Shadow. Things weren't the same without his best friend by his side.

He pulled back to look at Shadow, brows slanting up as he said, "You're so embarrassing."

Shadow's tail wagged happily back and forth, and then he leaned in to press his muzzle to the side of Quindecim's mouth, that weird gesture he had been doing lately.

"I see you've made up," an amused, gentlemanly voice said, and Quindecim looked up to see Jin smiling down at them. The butler's ability to find him would be uncanny, except it was really only because of the 'friend finder' app they both had installed on their phones.

"It's not like you can have an argument with a dog," Quindecim replied as he stood and began walking towards the house. Jin and Shadow both fell into step beside him.

They walked silently for a while, the path between the gate and the mansion's front door a long one, until Jin finally commented, "Perhaps it is time to think about having Master Shadow altered."

Quindecim frowned. He had thought about it – was still thinking about it – but it was a decision he didn't want to make. What right did he have to take away part of Shadow's body without his permission?

Then again, he hadn't exactly asked for permission to promise Shadow's soul to a demon.

"I'll think about it," Quindecim replied after a moment. "But... Maybe today was just a fluke."

"Certainly," Jin responded, a smile in his voice. "Maybe Master Shadow smelled something that set him off, or maybe he had a nice dream."

Quindecim stopped dead in his tracks, eyes going wide.

A dream. Of rocky mountains and treacherous cliffs and his attractive older brother sucking him off.

"Young Master?"

He couldn’t say what kinds of dreams Shadow or any dog had, didn't know if animals had dreams that had them snapping awake hard and needy. He didn't know if a dog could become so desperate to get off because of a dream. He didn't know if Shadow had been having a 'nice' dream that morning.

But Quindecim himself certainly had been.


	6. Chapter 6

On the list of things he wanted to do versus things he didn't want to do, homework was very squarely in the do-not-want column, right up there with playing any kind of sports and dealing with people.

The want-to-do side was empty.

He wasn't stupid; homework wasn't a struggle as long as he had been able to stay awake for the lectures, and brief tutoring from Jin on the lectures he missed was enough for him to get it. It was just an annoying hassle, though it wasn't like there was anything else he would rather be doing.

He looked over from his mountain of homework to where Shadow sat, folded in on himself so that he could scratch behind his ear with his hind foot. The tags on his collar jingled rhythmically as he scratched, and the look in his eyes was pure bliss. He seemed very much like the dog he was in that moment, no hint of the more human-like qualities Quindecim had noticed Shadow had taken on. The appreciation of storms, the little kisses instead of face-licks, the way Shadow was soon found trying to mount something after Quindecim awoke from some erotic dream. It seemed more than just his life-force was being drawn upon.

"Perhaps someday you'll be able to do my homework for me," Quindecim said, and Shadow immediately stopped his scratching to give his master attention. "It's the least you could do."

Tail wagging, Shadow pranced over to him, rearing up to rest his paws on Quindecim's lap and receive pettings, and Quindecim puffed a soft smile. Scratching behind Shadow's ears was a small bliss for him, too.

A quiet knock came to his bedroom door. Shadow sat back down on the floor as Quindecim called a "Come in," not giving much of a reaction when Jin entered the room.

"Young Master," Jin said in greeting, folding his gloved hands before him. "The Master wishes to speak with you."

"Father does?" Quindecim questioned, mostly to himself. A reflexive coil of dread curled up in the pit of his stomach.

"He's waiting for you in his study."

Quindecim breathed a sigh, an attempt to calm himself. It wasn't that his relationship with Father was bad or especially strained – just distant. After Mother's passing, Father took comfort in his work, not his children, and didn't make time for them unless it was business related or a lecture.

"Thank you," Quindecim said, standing from his desk chair. "Then, if you could attend to that for me." He gestured toward the mound of books and papers on his desk.

Jin smiled, eyes twinkling in amusement. "I cannot."

Quindecim sighed again, this time in mostly fake annoyance, and headed towards his bedroom door, Shadow ever on his heel.

Father was at his own overly large and elegant desk when Quindecim entered the study, not even looking up from what he was writing at the intrusion. Edmunt was pouring a cup of Father's favorite tea, graying hair and pointed goatee pristine as usual, and not even he paid Quindecim any mind when he entered.

"You wanted to see me?" Quindecim said quietly.

It was only after he finished his work and dismissed Edmunt from the room that Father addressed him, looking up to give a smile that hardly seemed sincere and did little to put Quindecim at ease. It didn't last long, the attempt at being friendly or familial. Getting straight to the point, Father set his pen down and stood as he said, "I've been thinking about you."

Quindecim tried to think of what he could possibly have done to get in trouble this time. "Me?"

"Of course," Father replied. "You are my son. I care about your future."

He simply nodded in response. If Father was about to tell him which business enterprise he would be in charge of in the future and what he would need to study to that end... Well, that would be better than a lecture.

"Specifically, your future within the family, and the family business," Father continued, as if there were actually something to discuss there. "You are the youngest of your generation, which is a rather large generation to begin with. There won't be many opportunities left by the time you come of-age and are wed. I've been discussing your place with your grandfather and uncles, and, quite frankly, we are scraping the bottom of the barrel to find something for you."

Quindecim looked away and shrugged. He had never had hopes for something lofty – had known since he was a child that he would never have any real power, and he never cared. "Anything is fine," he muttered. "It can be an entry-level mail clerk position."

"No son of mine will be a mail clerk!" Father snapped as he pounded a hand on his desk, making Quindecim flinch. Then he stepped around the mahogany barrier, closing the distance between them. "Quindecim, why can't you care about your future as much as I do? Why can't you have goals and aspirations like your brother?"

Because he didn't care about image as much as Father did, and because he didn't have any delusions about being able to realize any goals or aspirations like Unum could. He hadn't been given all they had been given. All he said, though, was an almost whispered, "I know my place."

Father took in a deep breath, seeming to stand taller, broader, as he did so. "There are ways to elevate your place."

His eyes flicked up to look into his father's face, but otherwise, Quindecim remained silent.

"Family is everything to us," Father continued, pacing away several steps. "And new members to our family are always a blessing; children are to be taken care of. Even if the circumstances aren't ideal, we love and provide for all of our children, to assure strong future generations for our family." He paused as he reached a tall window, looking out over the estate's expansive land. Quindecim rolled his eyes at the dramatics of the pose, but quickly wiped the look off his face when Father turned back to him.

"You will have a child."

Quindecim's heart seized; his throat went dry. For a moment, he was shocked into absolute stillness, as if petrified, not even breathing until he heard Shadow whimper and felt the dog's weight press close against his legs. "A... child?" he managed to sputter out. "But I'm too young. My- My purity..."

"You are nearly sixteen, a time when accidents happen. Even if it's not most proper, we would not put a child on the streets." Then Father's lips pulled up into a figment of a smile. "The best way to care for the child is to assure the parent's success. If you can have the second or third son of your generation, the highest positions will become available to you."

"It would be a bastard," Quindecim tried, dread rising, spoiling in his gut.

"It won't. Once the child is confirmed male, you and the girl you have bred with will be wed with parental permission. It will all be legal and true."

"And if it's female?"

Father's smile tightened. "Then we will pay the girl handsomely to quietly take care of it and try again."

He wanted to puke. Though he knew it was generally expected of him to someday wed an approved girl and contribute to the next generation, he had been hoping, somewhere in the unspoken back of his mind, that he could get away with... not. If he could just get some low-demand job and fade into the background of everyone's minds, with nobody noticing he never married or bred or even existed, that would be fine.

Eyes turning downcast, he tried to get out of it once again, this time by speaking the truth. "I don't want that."

"You don't want to retain your place at the table?"

"I don't care about that."

Any smile or pleasantry Father had tried to compose fell away. "Your family had provided everything for you, and you don't care?"

His head stayed down, a guilty child. "I care about my family." Some of them, anyway. "But I don't think what table I sit at is important."

"You should have more respect for yourself," Father said as he approached once again. And when he stood towering over Quindecim, he said an even, "You should have more respect for _me_." His deep blue gaze bore into Quindecim for a moment, and then he turned away again. "We will hold a birthday party for you next week. Plenty of eligible girls will be invited. Pick one you like and court her."

When Father didn't say anything further, and didn't turn back to spare another glance, Quindecim considered himself dismissed.

A dark and morose sort of weight lay heavy on his shoulders, urging him to crawl back into bed and stay there forever. Even knowing, as he always had, that his life was not his own, completely out of his hands, having his future decided for him at last was a thousand times more troubling than he had ever imagined it would be. But it was an order, so he would do it – he didn't really have a choice.

He wondered if his connection to Shadow would be passed on to his children.

Despite his desire to shut himself off from the world for a while in unconscious bliss, he didn't go back to his room. He didn't want to go back to his homework – wouldn't be able to concentrate on it at all anyway – didn't want to be faced with more expectations, didn't want to be under Father's roof for a while. He bypassed everything, ignoring the wing that would lead back to his bedroom, and instead turned down a staircase, descending to the second, then first floor of the estate, and he kept on going until he had fled out a door and found himself outside.

The grounds of his family's home were expansive enough that most of the land was rarely seen, visited only by the occasional landscaper mowing the grass to clean and manageable levels. Quindecim's feet carried him towards one of these far, desolate corners, though his mind was somewhere else entirely.

He wondered if he could survive on the run. If he didn't stop walking, let his aimless meandering take him far away from this place and his family's clutches. Even if he died out on the streets, at least then he could say he did something on his own terms.

Or perhaps the best thing really was to go along with the plan – be the obedient son and _thank_ his father for the chance to preserve the life and status he was accustomed to.

Perhaps there was a better option that hadn't presented itself yet.

Inattentive and trance-like, he walked until he no longer recognized where he was, and then he walked some more. He couldn't even really be sure he was still on his family's land, but he kept going anyway, a subconscious attempt to walk away from his problems, his life, the torment of his mind. Everything.

Shadow stayed dutifully by his side the entire time, his clinking tags a comfort.

He didn't know how long or how far he had gone before the first peals of exhaustion began to weigh his footsteps, yet he kept moving forward. His relentless walk continued, on and on, fueled by unease and unhappiness. His steps didn't stop or falter until he heard a low growl from somewhere several yards in front of him.

He slowed to a cautious stop. He didn't know where he was or what was out here, and his ears pricked, listening carefully as his eyes scanned the area for signs of a bobcat or cougar.

It wasn't a cat whose head appeared, however, rising as it climbed the bank of a dip in the land. It was a dog – a pit-bull, from what Quindecim could tell – its ears cropped and face scarred. As more of it appeared as it approached, he saw that its body was also scarred, hide pocked and marred with old bite marks, a contender and victim of dogfighting.

Its whole form appeared – male, he noted – and Quindecim took a step back. He didn't know how Shadow would fare against a dog that was born and raised to fight, though the pit had clearly been escaped for a while, its body skinny and malnourished. He didn't want to find out, either – he didn't want Shadow to have to fight.

His shoulders dropped when a second pit-bull appeared, smaller, female.

The male growled again, and Quindecim backed another step away. Dogs weren't especially territorial, he didn't think, but if these two were desperate enough – if they were _hungry_ enough – they might do something unpredictable.

The female gave a growl of her own, baring broken canine teeth. Her body was even more scarred and missing an ear. A bait dog, pitiable. They were a mated pair, and they were starving.

Shadow's growl rose to meet that of the pit-bulls', and he moved to stand in front of Quindecim. Shoulders hunched, every muscle taut, he was prepared to fight, to defend, and as much as Quindecim didn't want that, wanted to turn and run, he knew it was better for both of them to let Shadow protect him. Even if he were hurt, he wouldn't die.

So long as Quindecim lived, Shadow wouldn't die.

He glanced around, looking for somewhere safe to flee, never taking his eyes off the dogs for more than a half-second. There were some trees not too far away that looked climbable; if he could get over there, get to safety, he could let Shadow take care of the other dogs, relentless in a way they couldn't be. He should call for Jin when he got a chance, have himself and Shadow fetched, saved.

Moments passed with all three of the dogs just growling at one another, and Quindecim almost wondered if they wouldn’t get away with just that, with noise and threats, but no action. But he couldn't stick around to find out – couldn't stand there forever, waiting for dogs to decide his fate – so he slowly began to move towards the nearest of the trees. Keeping his steps measured, as imperceivably as possible, he slid a single foot toward the closest thing to safety.

Apparently, that was too much, too threatening, for the female pit. She lunged a warning step at him, causing Shadow to snap and snarl in retaliation. Even after the female backed off, Shadow continued to bark a deep, menacing bark, telling them that he wouldn't stand down, that this human would be protected at all costs.

The male pit sprang at Shadow, driven mad by hunger and abuse, sinking teeth into his shoulder. Shadow snarled in a way Quindecim had never heard before, sounding genuinely angry as he twisted and leapt to break away from the other dog, then returned the attack. He lunged for the pit's throat, missing and grabbing hold of his front leg when the pit dodged out of the way. Shadow shook his head violently, as if trying to break the other dog's leg between his teeth. Then the female jumped in, grabbing hold of Shadow's sensitive ear with the teeth she had left.

Quindecim turned and ran. It hurt him to do so, to abandon his only friend in the world, who was fighting so hard to protect him, but he didn't have a choice. The best way – the _only_ way – to protect Shadow in return was to survive.

Already, he could feel the energy drain from him, his life-force being stolen away as Shadow fought to the death. A screamed yelp heralded a wave of dizziness and sudden exhaustion, causing Quindecim to stumble. A tree caught his fall, not seeing just how close to it he had gotten through his darkening vision. His head collided with the solid trunk, sending a jolt of pain through him, but he didn't stop moving. With grit teeth, he stretched for the branches he could reach, using what strength he had in him to pull himself up. He reached again, hardly seeing where he was going, just trying to get away. Only when he was a few dozen feet from the ground and completely unable to go on did he finally collapse on a large branch, holding on as tightly as he could, barely at all.

He panted, heavy, deep breaths that did little to clear his head and stop the world from spinning and fading. He fought his sinking eyelids, looking beyond the branches, searching for Shadow.

He found a bloodbath. All three dogs were covered in bite and scratch marks, wounds gaping and bleeding. Shadow's ear had been torn off, a gruesome sight that made Quindecim's throat tighten with a trapped sob. He watched, heart aching and breaking, as the female pit-bull's relentless snaps managed to get a grip on the scruff of Shadow's neck, using her strength and what weight she had to yank him to the ground. Shadow lunged, just barely grabbing and ripping off a chunk of her hide before the male pit barreled in to wrap his teeth around Shadow's throat.

Shadow flailed and twisted and pulled, trying desperately to free himself from the other dog's hold, but the steel jaws of the pit-bull were like a vice, clamped tight. And all Quindecim could do was watch, helpless as Shadow's struggles became weaker. He watched as the flailing attempts to escape ceased altogether, and yet still the pit's hold didn't relent. Quindecim only watched, barely able to focus or keep his eyes open, as Shadow was held to the ground, unable to move or fight, struggling just to breathe. And then even that stopped, the heaving of his panting breaths growing slower and slower, and then ceasing completely.

Another wave of exhaustion hit Quindecim. He must have blacked out for a second, his head falling to collide with the thick branch he lay on. He attempted to shake the cloud out of his mind – he needed to watch. He owed it to Shadow, at the very least, to bear witness to each and every execution.

He watched as the male pit-bull finally pulled off, this battle's champion. Perhaps they would start feasting on Shadow's corpse right away, but no. The male limped over to his tattered mate, the two began to lick each other's wounds, and Quindecim watched. He watched the pair, so assured in their victory, pant and breathe and live.

His head fell, just enough energy to keep his eyes slit open.

He watched as Shadow's body began to move again, chest expanding as he took in shallow breaths again. He watched Shadow's ear begin to reform, flesh and fur growing back to replace what had been taken. He watched as Shadow, unseen by the other dogs, pulled himself back to his feet, wounds already starting to close.

The last thing he saw before darkness overtook him was Shadow lunging once again.


	7. Chapter 7

Bright, streaming damn sunshine. He hated when they woke him up like that. He said as much by groaning in protest and pulling the blanket over his head. Shadow snuggled up closer to the lump he had become, and it was a relief – like it was every time – to know that the contract binding them still held. He had been right to get himself to safety.

"It's good to see you're awake." Jin's voice penetrated through his downy cocoon.

"Only because you're here, torturing me."

"It's been two days."

"I could have gone for three if you'd have let me be."

"_Master Quindecim_."

At Jin's firmer tone, Quindecim pushed the covers away and sat up. He couldn't say he was entirely surprised to see the heartbreak and worry that colored Jin's face, though a large part of him wished he wasn't the reason for it. He could feel a sulk come over him, not yet having the energy to stop the pout forming on his lip, and he was on the verge of apologizing for... something. For everything.

"There were two other dogs, torn to pieces," Jin said before Quindecim had a chance to say anything. "Their bodies have been disposed of."

Quindecim's gaze fell. "Where did they come from?"

"I've no idea," Jin answered. "But... I believe they are in a better place now."

Fingers gripping the blanket tightly, Quindecim scowled hot at nothing in particular. He hadn't wanted to make Shadow fight and he hadn't wanted the other dogs to have to die. They hadn't chosen the unfair lot in life that made them what they were, and that lack of choice had caused them nothing but suffering.

He hated such cruel twists of fate.

Jin moved to the room's wardrobe, drawing back Quindecim's attention as he opened the door and reached in. "Your suit for the party has been delivered," he said, tone lighter. "I think you'll be happy to know you'll be wearing pants." He unzipped the garment bag he had pulled out just enough to give a peek of the deep blue blazer it held. "You should try it on to see if any adjustments need to be made."

Quindecim's shoulders dropped. He had almost wished Father's party idea had been a dream, or that it would be cancelled in the face of his sleeping spell, but of course not. He could sleep right through the event and the show would go on. His comatose body would be propped up for all to see, for all appearances to be kept up, for all the eligible ladies to have their way with until he had made his contribution to the family's next generation.

He wanted to puke.

"I need a bath first," he informed.

Jin smiled as if relieved at normalcy. "Of course."

A bath was drawn and he was left to it. He would have to go to school the following day, and he hadn't missed that the pile of homework on his desk had grown, the school _graciously_ delivering the material he had missed the past two days for him to catch up on. As much as he wanted to ignore it, like he wanted to ignore everything being forced upon him, it weighed on him as he soaked. Father would be mad that he had missed school again, but if he could at least get the homework done, he might get away with only a reproachful look, instead of a lecture. So he didn't linger in the tub, pulling himself out long before he wanted to, though it was only after he was sure the grime of a two-day sleep had been washed away.

He dried off, leaving his wet towel on the bathroom floor as he moved back toward the bedroom. He stopped, though, when he caught a glimpse of himself in the full-length mirror affixed to the bathroom door.

He was small and thin, scrawny from the days on end he spent fasting asleep, not that he ate all that much when he was awake. He was weak, would have been easy for those dogs to take down, if it hadn't been for Shadow, though he wouldn't have been much of a meal.

Small and weak. How could he be expected to have a child?

His hand slid down his nude body, sending a tickle along his own skin. Fingers brushed through the silvery pubic hair, then stroked down the length of his cock. He shivered at the self-teasing, his dick giving a twitch. That part of him worked, at least; the breeding part shouldn't be a problem.

He wondered what the girl he would eventually be bred with would think of this thin body of his. What would Professor Koe think if he saw it? Elizabeth Angelov seemed attracted enough to him, even if he wasn't built like Brent Katze. Maybe he should just marry her. At least they wouldn't have to convince her into it.

He thought about what it would feel like to push his dick between her large tits, to straddle her chest and thrust into the plush tunnel as she held her breasts tightly together. His cock jumped as he thought about coming all over her chest, and then moving back to find – if he were lucky – that she was also packing an erection of her own, too large and thick to actually fit under her uniform skirt. As he sank down on her throbbing cock in his mind, his eyes closed and his hand circled around his own growing erection. As his body was split open in his fantasy, he tugged at his dick, gasping as pleasure sparked through him.

The fantasy changed, a soft dick-girl replaced with a hard man's body, faceless, thrusting up into him, and Quindecim moaned as his grip around himself tightened, growing desperate. His knees almost gave out then, and he gasped, forcing his hand to slow, stop. His eyes slowly opened and he found himself staring at his reflection, skin flushed pink, chest heaving, hand wrapped around his painfully hard cock.

It wasn't an unattractive image.

He pushed through the bathroom door, into the bedroom, and sat in his desk chair, legs spread wide. His balls rested heavy on the seat of the chair, and he slid his hips over the smooth fabric a few strokes, whimpering and needy. And when frotting against the chair was no longer enough, he fisted his erection again, moaning in pained relief.

There was desperation in his moaning voice as he jerked himself off. He tried conjuring images in his head, something nice to get off to. A cock hidden behind a blue-plaid skirt, Professor Koe's fingers, or Unum's mouth; anything was okay. Or maybe all of them at once. Brent Katze and his gang, too. Everyone touching and stroking him, their tongues lapping at him, wanting nothing more than to pleasure him.

The fantasy faded when he felt a furry weight settle on his thigh. He didn't even open his eyes as he moved his left hand to push Shadow's head away, his right hand keeping a firm hold of his cock. His strokes only stuttered a moment, and then he was again pumping himself frantically, racing for the precipice, so desperate to come he felt sick.

His stomach lurched and his hands flew to his mouth. No, he was actually going to be sick. As waves of nausea rolled over him, he clenched his eyes shut, trying to get his body under control. Saliva filled his mouth, and he clamped his hands tighter over his mouth, as if he could hold the inevitable in. His heart thudded; tears pricked at his eyes.

He was on the verge of crying out for a doctor when the nausea began to fade. Taking in careful, slow breaths, he shuddered, wondering what was wrong with him. He had never gotten so ill so suddenly before, even after a sleeping spell, and it troubled him. Changes in his condition were unwelcome. As his body began to relax, he pulled his hands from his mouth tentatively, and as another weight landed on his thigh, heavier this time, he finally cracked his eyes open and looked down.

A man looked up at him.

A terrified scream wrenched from him as Quindecim flew across the room, fleeing the intruder, moving faster than he ever had in his life, though it was pure instinct that drove him. He was crouched into a ball by the sofa, eyes searching for the person he _knew_ he saw, when Jin burst into the room, holding a small, silver pistol.

"Master Quindecim!" Jin called as he rushed over to where Quindecim cowered, nude and shaking. "Young Master, what's wrong!?"

"There's someone in here!" Quindecim cried.

Jin's face turned up to scan the room, eyes prying into every nook and potential hiding place even as he said, "There's no one here."

"There is!" He wasn't seeing things. "I saw him! There was a man by the desk!"

A moment of silence fell, tense and frozen aside from Quindecim's shaking. He had never felt so violated before, the sense of security his bedroom – his _private space_ – should have always had ripped away in a bare second.

Then, quietly, with measured calmness, Jin said, "There's no one there besides Master Shadow."


	8. Chapter 8

He implored Father call off the birthday party. He didn't feel safe; someone had broken into his room, invaded his world, left him afraid of blind corners and hidden spaces. He had refused to go to school for the rest of the week, though there would be no surprises amongst the hallways and classmates he knew so well. Having his home infested with scores of people he barely knew – near or literal strangers – was something he wasn't sure he could handle.

Father hadn't relented. He had a plan for Quindecim, and he was going to make sure it was seen through. For Quindecim's sake, of course.

So Quindecim once again found himself dressed up in clothes designed and fitted just for him, hair brushed to perfection, even a bit of makeup applied to make it look like he actually had color to him. The suit had shoulder-pads and the makeup was masculine; when he looked in the mirror, he saw a young man.

"If your mother could see you..." Jin's voice came warm from behind him, and Quindecim's eyes flicked up to see the butler looking down at him fondly. "She would be proud."

Quindecim watched him for a second more, the look in the old man's eyes stirring something unfamiliar – or perhaps long forgotten – in his chest. Then he looked back down to look himself over again. He didn't hate what he saw.

A young man, sweet sixteen, ready to sow his oats.

Jin brushed his hands over Quindecim's shoulders one more time, then stepped back as he said, "Then, I shall go check on dinner preparations."

Quindecim whirled, grabbing Jin's arm before he could take further leave. "Don't go!"

"Young Master..." A touch of shock colored Jin's expression at the outburst.

"Don't leave me alone!" He clung to Jin's arm, not feeling like such a man anymore. He was a child, afraid of the dark, crying for his nightlight.

Jin's eyes went sad. "Master Quindecim... There's nothing to be afraid of."

"Someone broke in here before; they can do it again." He was grateful that at no point did Jin claim he was delusional or seeing things, though he was likely thinking it.

Jin put a calming hand to Quindecim's cheek and smiled. "No harm will come to you. Master Shadow is here; he will protect you."

Hearing his name, Shadow's head lifted from where he lay at the foot of the bed. His tail wagged a few beats, as if in agreement.

Quindecim released Jin's sleeve reluctantly. The small, apologetic look Jin gave before he bowed and left the room was hardly a comfort.

Girl after girl after girl was introduced to him. They all looked basically the same, with their long hair and off-the-shoulder dresses, and if he were asked to recall even one of their names, he wouldn't be able to. They all smiled at him, some of them sincere, some clearly not. One or two of them looked him over and seemed interested. The interest wasn't returned, but when Father pressed him to point out girls he would like to get to know better, Quindecim vaguely gestured in their direction. At least if they were already into him, they would be easier to deal with.

Shadow stayed by his side the entire time, looking dazzling with a deep blue ribbon that matched Quindecim's suit tied around his neck. Some of the girls or their parents curled a lip at the dog's presence; most paid him no mind. When one of the girls – pretty, about his own age, decked in purple frills – actually gasped in excitement and crouched down to coo at Shadow and pet his ears, Quindecim reflexively looked to Father, gauging his reaction, whether this one would be acceptable or not.

Father snorted a derisive puff, but then smiled and said, "You and my son have much in common. He is quite fond of animals as well."

The girl looked up, dark brown eyes looking surprised that she had been addressed by the master of the manor, but then she smiled. "He must have a kind soul."

"Indeed." Then Father's gaze looked expectant at Quindecim as he said, "I'll leave you two to get to know each other."

Fear washed over Quindecim when Father stepped away, leaving him alone, surrounded by people. Everyone was a potential enemy; every face was a mask hiding an unknown menace. Maybe that guy over there was the one who broke into his room – maybe that man over there was. Maybe they wanted to hurt him, take something from him, violate him. They surrounded him, trapping him. Even taking a step back only resulted in him bumping into another stranger, another maybe-threat. He felt Shadow press close to his legs, and he reached out a hand.

Shadow leaning up to push his head against Quindecim's hand was the first bit of comfort he had felt all evening.

A voice was directed at him, and Quindecim turned his eyes to the girl before him, who watched him with a concerned gaze. He had to talk to this girl. That's right. He had to get to know her, breed with her, marry her, or else Father would be angry with him. "What was that?" he asked carefully.

She continued to watch him for a moment, looking for something he couldn't fathom, but then she smiled softly. "I asked what his name was."

"Oh," Quindecim replied, looking down, meeting Shadow's gaze. "His name is Shadow."

A gentle and feminine giggle sounded from the girl, and then she crouched down again to pet the labrador. "Well, nice to meet you, Shadow. I'm Isabelle."

Isabelle. He would have to remember it this time.

Shadow leaned in to sniff at Isabelle's face, but other than that showed little interest. Instead, he looked back up to Quindecim, always looking to Quindecim.

Isabelle didn't seem put off by Shadow ignoring her. She continued to smile as she stood back up, saying, "He seems to really love you."

"He's... my best friend," was the only reply he could think of.

"That's so sweet," Isabelle answered, and then her eyes lifted, looking to some point over his head.

That was the only warning Quindecim got before arms wrapped around him from behind, trapping him. Panic ripped through him and he froze, instinct vying between fight or flight. He had been caught, his intruder striking again, would tear him apart this time. He hadn't even had a chance to scream.

Soft lips touched his ear, whispering, "Happy birthday, little brother."

Unum.

Quindecim turned in his brother's arms, scowling up at him as hard as he could. He was fighting off the need to cling to Unum and never let go.

Smiling playful, Unum's blue eyes twinkled in amusement as he teased, "Did I scare you?"

Quindecim's eyes pulled away, his voice quiet. "You know my room was broken into the other day."

The smile immediately disappeared from Unum's face as he realized what he had done. Quindecim hated being so sensitive; he had to get over this, because even Unum was being hurt by it now. But it was too soon; he needed time. At least the regret in Unum's eyes made him feel better.

"I'm so sorry," Unum murmured as his hands slid up to frame Quindecim's face. "I'll make it up to you, I promise."

Quindecim's heartbeat quickened, something stirring in his core. He wanted to demand a dance, to feel Unum's arms around him as they waltzed across the ballroom floor, but it was too crowded over there. Even with Unum, he wouldn't feel safe enough to move, surrounded by that many people. He allowed a little pout to pull on his lip as he instead said, "You're not allowed to leave my side for the rest of the night." Maybe they couldn't dance, not tonight, but if he could at least have Unum by his side, the party wouldn't be a total waste.

Unum's face lit up, and it was beautiful. "Are you making demands of _me_?"

"Yes."

The laugh Unum gave was a comforting melody, even though he pulled his hands away, moving to rest them on Quindecim's shoulders. "All right," he said, giving in. "Only because you're you and it's your birthday."

If he had that – if he had Unum – he could make it through the night.

Unum's attention had turned to behind him, and Quindecim turned around again to see that girl was still there, petting Shadow mindlessly, as if unsure whether to take her leave, or wait to resume their conversation.

"Who's this?" Unum asked, voice pleasant. Quindecim could easily picture the charming smile Unum wore, even if he couldn't see it. Unum's arm slid over his shoulders as they addressed Isabelle, pressing his chest to Quindecim's back.

Isabelle bowed a little curtsey as she answered, "Isabelle Corvid, third daughter of Percy Corvid," revealing herself to be the daughter of a politician. No wonder Father had given his approval.

"You and my brother seem to be getting along well," Unum commented.

"Yes. It's nice to meet someone who cares so much about animals."

A smirk in Unum's voice sounded before he replied, "He cares about _an_ animal."

"I think it still says a lot about him as a person," Isabelle said in return. "Someone who considers a dog his best friend can't be bad. At least, I don't think so."

"He's not bad. Not at all," Unum said, adoration that shivered through Quindecim evident in his voice. "He's very kind." Then he reached a hand out, running fingers through the lock of Isabelle's dark hair that fell over her shoulder. Isabelle went still as her hair was touched, as though surprised and perhaps uncomfortable by the action, but unwilling to say anything against it. It was likely she knew exactly who Unum was. She remained still, docile, until Unum's fingers stopped their petting, simply holding the lock of raven hair, and then he said, "Too bad he prefers blondes."

Isabelle's eyes lowered, looking as though she had just spotted her crush with another girl. The claim wasn't exactly true – Quindecim didn't have a preference for blondes or brunettes or redheads or anyone at all, really – but he didn't bother correcting it. Mostly because he just couldn't be bothered; partially because he wanted to watch Isabelle's reaction, wanted to determine if she was really interested, or if talking to her was a waste of time.

She looked back up, smile returning, sweet. "It's nice when siblings are close." Then her lips perked up further, girlish amusement, as she said, "My sisters like to crowd around me on my birthday as well. The curse of being the baby." She laughed lightly. "Then, I'll leave you be." She gave another polite curtsey, then looked directly to Quindecim to say, "I hope to see you again," before she slipped away on graceful heels.

Quindecim didn't watch her go. His gaze was already scanning the banquet hall again, wondering if he could slip out for a nap, when he felt Unum's breath on his ear again.

"That little bitch thinks I'm jealous."

"Aren't you?"

Unum chuckled low, saying, "Be nice, or you won't get your present," before pulling away.

Quindecim started to turn, to tell his brother he didn't want a present, though he really did, but he stopped short when at that moment, the grand doors atop the banquet hall's red-carpeted staircase opened and a line of servants in perfect, pressed suits filed in.

Grandfather entered, no fewer than four personal servants flanking him and two bodyguards following behind. This wasn't a family event; the room was filled with simple acquaintances, borderline strangers, and that meant there was a possibility of someone who would love to see the von Fürst family in an upheaval with the loss of their head in attendance. Not that there would be much of an upheaval at all – their strong adherence to tradition made for a smooth transition of power, but it wasn't like Grandfather would go unprotected despite that.

Quindecim's position afforded no such protection.

Tradition was followed as always. After Grandfather had descended the stairs and greeted any nearby affluent guests on the hall's main floor, the dinner bell sounded. Seats were taken at the six-tiered tables, and Quindecim wondered what Isabelle Corvid thought of all the pomp, if she understood that she would never really be by his side in this family. Or those other girls who had batted their long lashes at him – what did they think of him as he had his feet wiped and then rose above them? Maybe they were offended; maybe they thought his position was attractive. Not that it mattered – if they couldn't bear him a son, he would eventually lose his place at the tables.

When the families were sat, the staff assisted the guests to their seats, and then the tea and tea cakes were served. The Grandfather stood before all to give his grand birthday speech, and Quindecim totally zoned out, despite the event being for him. It was the same speech as last year, probably, only with 'sixteen' taking the place of 'fifteen'. Quindecim stood and thanked everyone on rehearsed cue when it was required, and even that only got half his attention. He didn't need all this. He wanted to go to bed.

Dinner was served, and everyone, family members and guests alike, chatted amongst their tables, sounding pleasant. Quindecim didn't chat, didn't have any pleasant conversation to make. He simply half-listened, picking at his food as Unum engaged with their cousins around them. His plate was still mostly full when it was taken away by a staff member, and as the after-dinner coffee was served, Tres hopped up to their tier, leaning against their table with an attempt at a friendly smile on his face. He looked like a smarmy asshole.

"The baby of the family finally hits sixteen," Tres said, playing casual, like Quindecim would suddenly forget all the bullying and want to have a conversation with him. "You're wearing a big-boy suit and everything."

Quindecim just stared at him, face void of expression. Beside him, Shadow huffed a little warning woof.

Tres's lip curled in Shadow's direction, but then he turned, resting his back against the table to look out over the hall, watching the party guests as he said, "Awful lot of chicks here." Then he looked over his shoulder, grinning at Quindecim. "Better watch out for your purity."

Quindecim snorted. "You're concerned I'll lose mine before you lose yours?"

"Not at all," Tres replied. "Now, if this room were filled with _men_ instead of girls..."

Quindecim glared, lip flashing a snarl, but it was Unum's voice that came, replying a strict, "His purity is none of your concern."

The smile disappeared from Tres's face, but only momentarily. He turned around again to face Unum, grin coming right back, truer and boyish this time. "And by this time next year, _your_ purity will be but a long-gone memory." There may even be a new future family head on the way.

Unum picked up his coffee cup, bringing it to his lips, though he paused, thoughtful, before taking a sip. "True," he answered, amusement lacing the word. "This time next year, I shall be free to indulge in the love of my life."

Quindecim's eyes turned away, landing on Shadow, who leaned up to deliver a comforting kiss to his cheek.

The rest of the party was as boring as the first half. As promised, Unum stayed by his side for the rest of the night, engaging the guests so Quindecim didn't have to. Father threw disapproving looks every time he caught his gaze, but Quindecim only turned away. He had talked to girls, remembered one of their names, and refrained from asking his brother to dance with him; that was enough for now.

A huge birthday cake was presented, cut expertly into perfectly even slices by the staff and served on expensive plates. Quindecim picked at his, before eventually lowering his plate for Shadow to have the rest.

There was a table for gifts, but the only thing on it were stacks of envelopes, each more gilded than the next, all just for show. They would be full of cash, no one wasting their time trying to pick an actual present out. In the coming days, the house staff would go through them and write out thank-you cards to the givers, and Quindecim would have to sign each and every one by hand before they were sent. All just for show. The money would be deposited into Quindecim's allowance account, though that hardly mattered. He never came close to spending all of his allowance, and had so much money saved up that the added amount wouldn't even be noticed.

The party hadn't even begun to wind down when Quindecim slipped away. Telling Unum that he was going to use the restroom, he left the banquet hall, followed shadows through the otherwise empty manor, holding his breath until he reached the wing where his bedroom was.

He heard Shadow begin a low growl before he noticed his bedroom door was cracked open, the light shining through to the hallway. Fear immediately raced through him, paralyzing his steps. The intruder had come back; they were waiting for him.

He wanted to run, to get Jin or Unum or Father and have them demand this sinister whoever-they-were be dragged from his room, thrown in jail, torn asunder so that Quindecim could have his sense of security back. He wanted to scream, draw attention to the invader and prove he hadn't been seeing things. He wanted to do something besides stand there like a petrified kitten with his hair standing on end, but his feet and voice remained rooted, until Shadow began to stalk towards the single beam of light.

Without a word or a second thought, he followed the dog, as if instinctual. Shadow wouldn't lead him into danger. But the fear still shook his hand as he slowly reached out to push the door open.

A figure stood at his desk, like before. A dark-haired man, same as he had seen before.

Every muscle in Quindecim's body froze stiff, unable to move or think. If he stayed still, the intruder wouldn't notice him, wouldn't attack and rape and kill him. If he didn't move, he would be invisible and safe, even if he had to hold his pose forever.

The figure did notice him, though. Noticed the opening door or the movement of air or the large, black dog growling in warning. He turned, holding a notebook pulled from the opened drawer of Quindecim's desk, and smirked a sneer.

All the tension released from Quindecim at once, doubling his exhaustion. A week's worth of anxiety drained through his toes, though annoyance kept him on his feet. His feared intruder turned out to be quite boring. "Get out of my room."

"I was hoping I'd find some big-titty porn stashed away in here," Tres said, snapping the notebook he held closed.

"I don't have anything like that," Quindecim replied, exasperation lacing his voice as he stepped further into the room. He left the door wide open, intending on kicking his cousin _out_.

"No, you wouldn't." Then Tres's grin kicked up. "You'd have big-_dick_ porn, huh?"

"Shut _up_," Quindecim snapped as he grabbed the notebook out of Tres's hand. "Unlike you, I don't have any nasty stuff like that."

"Hey, I don't judge. You can be honest with me."

Except that he couldn't; he couldn't be honest about it with anyone, except maybe Jin. It had no place in their family, which put so much emphasis on rearing the next large and powerful generation. Sexual deviants didn't belong, needed to act 'normal' even if they weren't, because anyone who didn't help expand the family didn't find themselves remaining part of it for long. Every few generations a deviant stood up for themselves, then disappeared. Quindecim wasn't interested in finding out what happened to them.

Quindecim didn't know how to deny it without sounding trying-too-hard fake, though, so he just repeated, "Get _out_."

"You're so _boring_," Tres said like a complaint. "Don't even have a juicy diary full of dirty fantasies or anything."

Clutching the notebook in his hands – math homework, the furthest thing from 'juicy' – Quindecim puffed a snort. "Sorry I'm not a freak like you."

Tres's hand shot out suddenly, grabbing Quindecim by the face, squeezing his cheeks between rough fingers until Quindecim's lips puckered. Shadow growled low and vicious in response, a warning that went ignored as Tres leaned in far too close to sneer, "Say that again, you little fuck."

"You're the one who keeps coming into _my_ room and going through _my_ stuff. Are you hoping to find my underwear or something?"

A snarl, almost inhuman, wretched form Tres as he used his grip on Quindecim's face to throw him to the floor. Pain flashed through Quindecim's leg as he landed hard on his right hip, his cheeks throbbing sore. He hoped there were bruises, evidence of the bullying that could get Tres in trouble.

Immediately, Shadow stood before him, growling deep and teeth bared, ready to defend Quindecim with his eternal life. He snapped at Tres, just for show, a promise of what those sharp canines would do if his beloved master was touched again.

Tres didn't make another move toward Quindecim, but the look of fury on his face was enough to keep Quindecim on the floor. A nerve had been hit somewhere. "The only freak here is you, _Fifteen_," Tres spat. "Who would ever want a scrawny, little twerp like you? No one is _ever_ going to want to fuck you."

"I don't care," Quindecim muttered back.

"You think you're going to lay one of those girls out there? They couldn't even get close to your bed without that fucking mutt going off."

Quindecim's eyes widened, the hope of a case closed so dashed that he didn't even see the cruel smirk that came to Tres's face.

"You may as well just let the dog fuck you."

Shadow began barking loudly, threateningly. Each intake of breath held a snarl, as if furious at Tres's verbal assault. _How dare you speak to him like that_, each deep sound seemed to say. _How dare you hurt him?_

At least Tres was smart enough to know when to get out, Shadow's loud barks bound to draw attention. Jin would be here soon, or maybe Father or Unum would come. Maybe Grandfather would be drawn by curiosity.

Pointing two fingers at Shadow, a mock gun of a hand, Tres seemed to be making a promise as he pulled a figmental trigger, then turned and strode from the room.

The barking stopped, but Shadow continued to growl, just in case. Quindecim only stared at the dog, mind racing as dread once again filtered through his blood, spreading icy through him. Just when he had begun to think he had it figured out, everything came crumbling down like scattered puzzle pieces.

It couldn't have been Tres who came into his room last week – Shadow wouldn't have allowed it. Shadow had been there, as he was always _there_, and there was no way he would have let Tres or almost anyone enter Quindecim's room without a peep or sneak up on Quindecim while he jerked off. Shadow would have given some kind of warning if anyone- Almost anyone.

Almost anyone.

The only ones who were on Shadow's safe list were Unum and Jin. But the figure Quindecim had seen had dark hair, the complete opposite of Unum's golden locks. Nor did that match Jin's long-grayed hair, and he would never quietly lurk by while Quindecim touched himself besides.

It had to be someone else, but he couldn't even imagine who, and he was right back to where he started – right back to that terrified moment when the invader had first appeared. Who had come in here? Who was after him? Shadow held the key, but wouldn't say anything.

He closed himself off, pulling knees to his chest. His chin rested atop his folded legs, but his eyes locked, vigilant, on the panting dog before him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello~  
I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who's left comments and kudos on this story. It really means a lot to me.  
Honestly, I've been fighting with some pretty bad depression and insomnia for a while now, and it often just saps any motivation or ability to form meaningful replies, and I often end up unable to respond to comments at all because of it. I sincerely apologize for that. But I do read and appreciate each and every comment I get, so thank you for taking the time. It really helps, more than you can imagine.
> 
> Thank you.  
And, happy reading.


	9. Chapter 9

He resisted for as long as Father would allow him, spending a week sitting in his room, back to a wall, watching for an unknown enemy to show themselves. He took his meals like that, on the floor in self-exile, always watching.

Sometimes, Unum came in and sat with him, trying to coax him back into the real world. He kissed him and promised he wouldn't let anything happen, but Quindecim wouldn't be comforted.

Oftentimes, Jin stayed with him. He sat on the sofa and read to Quindecim, or tutored him on the homework that had been delivered. He brought meals and cleaned up after, took Shadow on his walks, and stood vigilant at the bathroom door when Quindecim went in to relieve himself, which was the only thing that could get him to leave his safe spot.

At night, he was left alone.

He didn't dare go to bed. His bed was open to attack on three sides; there was no way he could sleep there. Couldn't sleep at all – nighttime was when he was most vulnerable. He fought the need for rest, resisted when his eyelids got heavy. It was something he had a lot of practice with. Then when the sun came out, when the room was lit up bright and he had scanned every square inch to assure himself there was nobody hiding in the corners, he would call Shadow over and instruct the dog to keep guard while he slept for a bit. At least once, he woke up with his head on Jin's lap, feeling more rested than he had been for a while.

He still wouldn't go out, despite Jin's best attempts at convincing.

Unum tried coaxing; Jin tried rationalizing. But it was Father's _demanding_ that got him to step out into the world again.

Isabelle Corvid had invited him to the zoo – the zoo her father had opened with state funding – and Father would be damned if she was turned down. Her invitation was accepted before Quindecim even knew it had been extended, and when Father himself came to his room to order him to attend, Quindecim knew he was trapped. He couldn't stand up the daughter of a politician – he couldn't burn his family's bridges.

Jin would go with him; Shadow could not. No pets allowed, and 'we're sharing a soul' wasn't likely to get him registered as a support animal.

Quindecim dressed comfortably in shades of white and gray, deviating from the blues his family usually wore. He refused the makeup that would give color to his complexion, and only briefly let a brush be run through his hair before he followed close to Jin as he was led out to the car.

Clad in purple, her family's color, Isabelle Corvid was dropped off at the zoo's front gate, followed not-too-far-behind by obvious security personnel. Percy Corvid was a high-ranking government official, after all, his candidacy for the next presidential election a near sure thing. It wouldn't do to have his precious daughter kidnapped in a political coup.

Quindecim didn't get security personnel. Quindecim got Jin. And while in his head he knew that Jin was more than capable with the silver pistol he always carried, Quindecim wondered if a full security team could quell the fear and paranoia that smothered his rational mind. Or would that make it worse?

"Thank you for agreeing to meet me," Isabelle said when they were facing each other.

Quindecim just nodded once and looked down, not really having anything to say, not really inclined to find anything. A voice buzzed in his ear and he jumped, whirling to find it was just another visitor passing slightly too close behind him.

He turned back to find Isabelle smiling at him as though amused by his jumpiness. He had to halt his instinct to sneer or scowl at her, reminding himself that she didn't know his situation or... anything about him at all, really.

"Shall we go in?" she asked with a tilt of her head that exposed her neck and was probably supposed to be cute.

"Yeah," was all Quindecim answered. He looked over his shoulder to make sure Jin was close behind him as they began to walk toward the gate.

They were waved through without having to pay when the ticket clerk saw Isabelle. Whether the staff had been given a heads-up that they would be here, or that Isabelle came here often enough to be recognized, Quindecim didn't know or care. He was used to getting privileges because of his family, gifts and freebies that less well-off people could only dream of, despite having the money to actually buy the stuff if he really wanted it.

Yet he couldn't afford not to be on a date with someone he wasn't really interested in.

"What would you like to see first?" Isabelle asked, and when Quindecim only shrugged, she giggled. "Then, how about we follow that path around?" Her suggestion came with a gesture to their left, and Quindecim agreed that was as good a course as any.

The animals were cool, he supposed, though they only barely held his attention. Unum hadn't been wrong when he said Quindecim really just cared about one animal. Shadow was special because he would never, ever leave Quindecim alone; he had no such connection with other creatures. It wasn't like he cared about animals as a whole.

But he reminded himself – convinced himself – that Isabelle didn't know that, and was trying hard to please him. He needed to appreciate that, needed to see Father's plan through, as he was ordered to. So he tried his best to respond when Isabelle commented on the animals or the facilities, even if he didn't really have anything to say about any of it. The elephants were... elephants. The flamingos were flamingos.

Isabelle seemed to get more excited as they approached the next enclosure, seemed to watch Quindecim's face a little more closely, eyes bright and smile glowing with hope. Quindecim bit his tongue to keep from snarking about if there was something wrong with his face, but then he heard a familiar, playful yip.

He expected to see Shadow, some kind of 'Surprise! They let him in after all!' The special guest of Quindecim's forced outing.

Instead, he saw the enclosure held a pack of frolicking wolves.

He could see the canine in them, the way they stuck their butts in the air, tails wagging, before they lunged happily at their playmates, like Shadow did. Or some of them just lounged, soaking up the sun. A large, black one lay with its head resting on a smaller, silver wolf's back, like Shadow often did to Quindecim.

They were Shadow's family, in a way. Evolutionary distant cousins. They were beautiful.

"They're so much like regular dogs," Isabelle said with laughter in her voice. "Just... bigger."

Quindecim simply nodded, watching as one of the younger wolves, inattentive in its play, stepped on the slumbering silver wolf. It was the big, black one, though, that snapped at the clumsy pup, protective.

"Those two are mates," Isabelle commented next, followed by a girlish giggle. Then her voice went softer. "One black and one silver. They remind me of us."

Quindecim glanced over to see Isabelle's cheeks tinted pink. He hadn't been thinking that at all – thought it was ridiculous, given how close he and Isabelle were in size versus the wolf pair's vast size difference. All he did, though, was turn his gaze back to the mated pair and mutter, "Yeah."

The black wolf reminded him more of Shadow, if anything. Strong, protective, and dark as night.

Something touched his hand and Quindecim gasped loud as he wrenched his body back. He couldn't breathe, wide eyes searching desperately for his enemy. They had come after him here. He shouldn't have come. It was too open. He should have stayed home. Fear paralyzed him and his legs could no longer hold him up; his knees buckled, but he was caught before he hit the ground.

"Young Master, it's all right," Jin's voice said in his ear. "I'm here."

He clung to the lapels of Jin's suit, hiding just for a moment, with his face pressed to the butler's chest. He felt like a child. "I hate this," he whispered.

He shook, and Jin let him, and then came the haunting sound of a wolf's howl.

Pulling away from the safety of Jin's arms, Quindecim looked to see the black wolf on its feet, head thrown back as it cried out. A moment later, the silver one joined in, and then another, and another. The pack sang together, and they were so majestic, Quindecim could feel his heart begin to beat again.

A small crowd gathered to watch the chorus, but Quindecim paid them little mind, enchanted by the wolves' song as he was. When the timbre of their mixed voices finally faded away, he felt calm.

"They're beautiful," Quindecim said quietly.

He felt Jin's chest rumble in a light chuckle. "Yes, they are." Then Jin stepped back, gesturing a hand towards Isabelle. "I'm sure the Young Madam thinks so too."

Isabelle looked concerned and apologetic, like she had been the fault of his little freak-out. "I- I'm sorry," she said. "I... shouldn't have touched you without permission."

She had tried to hold his hand. Because this was a date. He got that. He should probably reach out and take her hand, tell her it was all right. If he was going to do this, going to see Father's plan through and breed this girl, he should suck it up, smile, and walk through the park hand-in-hand.

But he didn't.

Instead, his eyes pulled to the side, voice low as he muttered, "Let's sit down somewhere."

The zoo's cafeteria was crowded and noisy, but clean enough, and the food wasn't nearly as bad as it looked. It was Quindecim's first time eating a hot dog and fries both, and while he would have preferred Jin's cooking any day, the cheap food of regular people wasn't inedible. The tables in the cafeteria were all on the same level – no ridiculous tiers, families eating together, facing each other and laughing together – and it was such an unusual thing to Quindecim, whose eyes kept sweeping back and forth across the eatery.

"Many of the animals here are part of a special preservation project," Isabelle said, trying to make conversation as they ate. "A few years ago, those wolves were on the verge of extinction, but they're beginning to make a comeback through breeding programs." She smiled something lovely. "I'm really proud of what we've done here."

Quindecim nodded slowly as his eyes drifted to the side, searching out Jin, who sat two tables away with his own lunch and a paper cup of tea. When their eyes met, Jin made a rolling gesture with his hand to indicate Quindecim should say something in return, keep the conversation going.

"Oh... That's nice," Quindecim said belatedly. He never did listen all those times Father tried to lecture him on proper social etiquette.

"Humans have had such a devastating effect on the planet," Isabelle continued. "My dream is to offset that as best I can."

Quindecim's eyes lifted to meet hers. It was an admirable dream; her love for animals shone through on her face, in her smile, and it was infectious. "That's a good dream," he replied.

"I would be honored if you would help me," Isabelle said next, leaning forward. Her hands came up, crossing the table, but stopped short of touching Quindecim. She retreated, resting her wrists on the table's edge. "We can help animals together."

Quindecim's gaze roved back and forth again before he slowly questioned a simple, "How?"

Isabelle's smile turned up, eyes shining. "Well, I have a lot of political pull because of my father, but public funding only goes so far."

His eyes snapped to her face suddenly enough to make her draw back. "So it's money you want?"

"N-No..." Isabelle's face dusted pink as she quickly shook her head, her fine brows pulling together. "I- I just meant... in the future... if- if things were to work out between us..."

"It's fine," Quindecim said blankly. It wasn't like he didn't know the number one thing that made him attractive to girls – it certainly wasn't his personality. "Just tell me how much."

Isabelle fell silent for a moment, but then her smile came back, soft. Something hopeful touched her eyes. "For now, all I want is to get to know you better."

He didn't know how to respond to that, so he didn't. Silence fell between them, their distance filled with only the sound of the people around them. In the end, Quindecim knew it didn't matter if the only thing Isabelle or any girl wanted form him was his money. It wasn't like he had any great interest in her either. His part in her dream simply made Father's plan easier – they could be mutually beneficial for each other. At least whatever money she got out of him would go to a worthy cause.

He liked the thought of that even more than having a child with her, anyway.

No, the fact that she was after money was fine; it served his purpose – Father's purpose for him. And if she wanted to pretend there was more to their relationship besides, essentially, a business transaction, that was fine too. It was another benefit to him, having his family see him dating a girl. Perhaps Tres would shut up about dicks if Quindecim had a girlfriend.

With his gaze cast downward, he softly broke the silence. "My room was broken into, a couple weeks ago. I had just come out of the shower and was still completely nude and... someone touched my leg." He didn't bother suppressing the shudder that ran through him, going for show, though it wasn't fake at all. "I looked down, and there was a man there."

"Oh my goodness," Isabelle gasped. She moved a hand from the table to press to her chest, though Quindecim didn't quite look at her face yet. "You must have been so frightened."

He nodded, a single, shallow motion. "He fled quickly when I called out, and was never caught. I have no idea who it was and... I've not been the same since." He looked up then, at last, seeing her drawn up brows and sincere brown eyes. "So if I seem jumpy or skittish..." Then he reached out, touching her hand still resting on the table briefly, before pulling away again. "It's not you. I promise."

"You poor thing," Isabelle soothed, sympathetic. "I hope they catch whoever it was soon, so you can have peace of mind."

Quindecim gave another single nod. It was unfortunate nobody was even looking for the culprit, not taking his distress seriously. Father insisted it was a delusion and refused to spend another thought on it; Unum didn't dare go behind Father's back and hire an investigator himself. He placated, saying it must have been a one-off thing and the person was long gone. They were content to wait for it to happen again before willing to believe him.

"Are you alright?"

He looked up, not realizing he had gone quiet again, that his gaze had drifted again.

Then he said softly, "I'd like to see the wolves again."

They stood in front of the gate again, their date coming to a close. For a moment, Quindecim wondered if he should kiss her, even a peck on the cheek, to show that he was, at the very least, fine with the idea of continuing this arrangement. He couldn't bring himself to move, though, instead just standing there like a sullen brat.

She seemed to sense his discomfort, smart girl that she was, and didn't overstep any boundaries. Her face held a smile that Quindecim was sure was mostly real, and then she said in a pleasant voice, "Thank you for coming here with me. I hope you enjoyed it."

"I did," Quindecim answered, though he didn't meet her gaze. "It was cool, and... I needed to get out." He paused a moment, then tacked on, "So, thank you."

Isabelle chuckled lightly as her car pulled up to retrieve her, one of her guardians opening the door for her. "I hope to see you again soon."

"You will," Quindecim replied, which seemed to make her happy. He continued to watch her as she ducked into the car, sitting before lifting her legs in like a lady, and then the door was closed. He belatedly lifted his hand in a wave that he wasn't sure she saw as the car pulled away.

Acting wasn't his strong suit.

Jin's voice came from behind him, an amused, "Shall we head home, Young Master?"

He stood still for a moment, then turned and headed back towards the zoo. It wasn't for Isabelle's sake that he made a large donation to the preservation project, wasn't an attempt to impress her or show her what she would have access to if she bore him a son. He wasn't even sure she would ever find out he did it, though he made no attempt to hide his family's name or keep it anonymous. Should she check the books, the evidence would be right there.

Maybe it was for the wolves.

His own little wolf waited by the house's front door when they got home, tail wagging, front paws prancing anxiously. It was almost hard to believe Shadow was related to those majestic creatures, with his floppy ears and infectious smile. Quindecim bestowed the kisses he couldn't give to Isabelle Corvid onto Shadow's face, content to be with his favorite animal again.

"Shall I send Miss Corvid a thank-you note?" Jin asked as he stood by.

"Yes," Quindecim answered as he stood to head into the house. "And an invitation."


	10. Chapter 10

Aside from giving him insight into Isabelle Corvid's 'dream' and Quindecim's own part in it, the zoo outing also served to get Quindecim out of his room and out of the house like a normal person once again. To a limited degree, at any rate, not that he was ever one to go out much.

He went to school without a fuss, stayed awake through it as best he could, made easier by sleeping through the night in his bed, Shadow nestled protectively by his side. It was only for a few weeks anyway – seven weeks after the break-in that shook his secure life, the school year ended, summer vacation began, and Quindecim was right back to spending his days at home.

At least Father couldn't bitch at him now.

Sometimes he left his room. He would go to the estate's library and browse books he had no interest in reading, or he would sit fully dressed by the pool, basking in the shade of a large umbrella while he watched Shadow splash and swim in the water. One evening, he cranked the air conditioner up in the sitting room until it was freezing, all so that he could comfortably light a fire in the fireplace and lay in front of it. Unum laughed at the contradiction of it when he found him, but admitted it was cozy as he snuggled up behind Quindecim and buried his face into his neck.

He didn't forget about the break-in, but as the weeks went by, he calmed down. The more time that passed without another incident, the more his sense of security came back, little by little.

Eventually, he decided to leave the house again.

He made sure Father knew that he had invited Isabelle out for a picnic at the nearest dog-friendly park. He would get it done – maybe even have fun – then not have to hear Father say anything about his grand idea for the rest of the summer. It was still too soon to start trying to conceive – Unum hadn't even had his engagement party yet – so all Quindecim needed to do at the moment was be actively courting someone.

There were young couples playing with their babies and teenage boys throwing a football around, as well as plenty of other dogs at the park when they arrived. Quindecim half expected Shadow to start humping everything in sight the moment he was let off the leash, but no. The dog's libido was as dormant as Quindecim's was. He seemed as uninterested in playing as Quindecim as well, staying right by his master's side even after he was set free.

"Go," Quindecim said, waving a hand toward where the other dogs were running and chasing and wrestling with each other. "Go play."

Shadow just looked up at him.

"Go be a dog."

Shadow looked towards the other animals, but made no move to join them. He just pressed closer to Quindecim's legs and yawned.

Isabelle laughed. "Aww~ He just wants to stay by your side."

"He's by my side all day at home." Still, he couldn't help but smile something affectionate down at Shadow. "Weirdo."

"I think that's the first time I've ever seen you smile," Isabelle said as they began to walk to the picnic area, bordered with red salvia and ferns. Jin had laid out a soft quilt to sit on, and had begun setting out an array of finger foods as Isabelle added, "It's lovely."

Quindecim's smile fell as he looked up at her. It was something he didn't really think about. "Sorry," he said as his eyes drifted away again.

Isabelle hummed a sound that told him not to worry about it as she took a seat on the quilt, tucking the skirt of her dress under her legs. "Some people are just like that. It makes your smile a rare and precious thing." She gave a smile of her own as Quindecim joined her on the quilt, then she scooted a few inches closer to him. "And it shows just how much Shadow means to you, that he can bring it out."

He nodded slowly in agreement.

"Are you in need of anything else?" Jin asked them, folding his gloved hands before him. Each of the tea cakes and cut sandwiches he had made himself, and they all looked as delicious as they were pretty.

"That'll be all," Quindecim answered simply.

"Thank you," Isabelle said.

Jin smiled, the edges of his moustache pulling up. "Then I shall leave you be. If you are in need of anything at all, please call me."

Quindecim opened his mouth to speak, to insist Jin stay – stay close, where he could see him, run to him if needed. He was getting better, but he wasn't there yet, wasn't ready to be left alone yet. But then Jin gave him a _look_, a look that said Quindecim was strong, that he could do this, that Jin believed in him. The gentle smile and soft eyes had Quindecim's protest die on his tongue.

With a short bow, Jin took his leave.

He took deep breaths to quell the fear that began to rise in him. He would be okay. Shadow was here, and it wasn't like someone would come after him in the broad daylight, in a park full of witnesses. Or so he told himself.

Taking a cut sandwich from the spread before them, Isabelle held it daintily between her fingers, simply looking at it for a moment before saying, "I noticed a large donation to the zoo in your family's name." She smiled. "I assume it wasn't from your father."

Quindecim just shrugged slowly.

"Well, thank you," Isabelle said softly. "It really means a lot to me." She giggled a shy sound, then leaned in closer to him.

A thick, furry body pushed in between them, knocking the sandwich out of Isabelle's hand as he flopped over Quindecim's lap.

"_Shadow_," Quindecim admonished, even as he buried his fingers into the dog's soft fur.

"He wants attention," Isabelle laughed. She lifted a hand to scratch at Shadow's hindquarters, and Shadow's tail immediately stopped wagging. He looked over his shoulder at her for a moment, then turned away again, dismissive.

Quindecim sighed. It wasn't like he could sit the dog down and explain to him that he _had_ to give this girl attention – that he had to have a child with someone, and she was his best bet. He left it at a simple, "Be nice."

Shadow huffed, then settled down to snooze in Quindecim's lap.

Isabelle chuckled again, as though there was nothing the dog could do to make her not adore him. It was a good thing. "He isn't fixed," she noted.

"Oh, you noticed?"

Her face went pink, as if she had been caught peeping. "I- I mean- I wasn't, you know... I wasn't _looking_. I just..."

Quindecim snorted, then said, "No, he isn't fixed."

"So have you... thought about breeding him?" Isabelle asked. "He's so beautiful, I bet he would have gorgeous pups." She looked over to Quindecim through slightly lowered lashes, making him wonder if it was really Shadow she was referring to – making him wonder if Father hadn't said anything to her.

Quindecim pulled his gaze from hers, looking down to where his pale fingers sifted through Shadow's black fur. "I've never thought about it." He left it at that.

"I have a friend who breeds labs," Isabelle said next. "If you ever want to try, let me know. I bet her girls would love such a handsome stud."

He bit the sneer off his lip, the very idea of treating Shadow as Father was treating him making him sick. All he said, though, was a forced, "I'll think about it."

They ate the lunch that had been prepared for them, with Quindecim slipping Shadow as much of the food as he ate himself, while attempting conversation. The point of all this was to get to know each other, after all, but, though it wasn't on purpose, Quindecim found he really didn't have much to say. He didn't have hobbies or interests, wasn't part of any clubs or circles, didn't go to any events or extra-curricular lessons. He didn't even have any friends to talk about. He didn't have any answers to give when Isabelle asked about what he did after school or on weekends, relegating her to answering her own questions just to keep the conversation going. It didn't escape his notice, though, that she didn't keep the topic on herself for very long, just enough to respond to his reactions or any follow-up questions he could think of, and then she would move on to the next thing.

She was smart, well-educated, and socially adept. That made everything so much easier.

He learned that the zoo Percy Corvid opened was a gift to Isabelle, and she took it very seriously, taking part in many aspects of it despite being only seventeen years old. She often got in trouble at Saint Mary-Gwendolin School for Girls for having a job when it was forbidden to students, but each time she got away with it because she wasn't actually getting paid for the time she put into the zoo, and because it didn't affect her honor roll grades.

Quindecim wasn't an honor roll student, nor did he spend his free time helping animals. He wondered, if it weren't for his family name and money, would she want anything to do with him at all.

"I hear your brother is getting married next spring," was the next topic she tried, to which Quindecim gave a simple sound of affirmation and a nod. "I bet he's excited."

"I guess," Quindecim replied. He didn't really want to think about it.

"You two are very close?"

"He's... the only family member I have who doesn't pretend I don't exist or treat me like garbage."

A taken aback look of surprise came across Isabelle's face, though Quindecim couldn't tell if it was at his words or how straightforwardly he put them. Her brows drew up, pity in her dark eyes. "I'm so sorry."

He shrugged a shoulder. "My family has a strict hierarchy. It makes things very competitive."

"I noticed," Isabelle said, seeming to understand. "What is it with those tables?"

Finally hitting on a topic he actually had something to say about, Quindecim tried his best to describe the tiered tables and who sat where, how it would all shuffle when the current head of the family died or was confined to a bed indefinitely. That led into who inherited what, how those of lower standing were treated, and how it all tied to having children. By the time he was finished, there was a crease to Isabelle's brow, though her lip curved up as though amused.

"So... where do your grandfather's brothers sit when you eat with them?"

"We don't," Quindecim answered simply.

"Never?"

He shook his head. "They run their own factions of the family, and each faction has very little to do with each other outside of business." He and Unum would become the same way, someday. "I think the only time I've ever seen my grand-uncles was at my mother's funeral."

An uncomfortable silence grew between them, though Quindecim wasn't inclined to break it. These were the unfortunate truths of his family. Relatives came and went from his life, so was it any wonder he clung to the ones he had within reach?

Eventually, Isabelle simply whispered another soft, "I'm sorry."

Perhaps silence would have fallen again; perhaps Isabelle would decide this was a little too much baggage and she was better off finding a different rich boy to get to know better – one who could at least hold a conversation. But a shadow approached them, a sickening voice snarking, "Well, well, well," making Quindecim jump before he turned to stare up at the visiting pest with dead eyes.

Brent Katze stood with a sneer on his lip, sending a wave of annoyance through Quindecim so deep that Shadow jumped up, posture tense, standing as a barrier between them.

"If it isn't the littlest von Fürst," Brent said, trying to get a rise that Quindecim wouldn't give. "Could this be!?" he said next, mock surprise coming into his voice. "Do you actually have a girlfriend, Fürst?"

Shadow began a low growl, but all Quindecim said was a blasé, "None of your business."

Brent turned a grin to Isabelle, a grand attempt at being charming or something as he said, "Hey, honey, how about getting with a real man?"

"I'm with a real man," Isabelle replied coolly.

A sneer crossed Brent's face, and then he tried, "You ever heard of Katze Biomedical Foundation? That's my father's company, and someday, it'll be mine."

"I have heard of it," Isabelle replied, and now there was interest in her voice. Her long lashes batted, feminine charms directed to Brent, and she sat up straighter, leaning away from Quindecim. "They make some of the most cutting-edge medical equipment available, don't they?"

"Yep," Brent said, grin deepening. "All of the top-rated hospitals and medical universities in the country use our products."

"I heard the whole reason President Selim's surgery last year was successful was because the Katze equipment was so precise at locating the tumor."

"That's right. We give our customers what they pay for, and they pay for the best."

"That's amazing," Isabelle said, leaning further forward, closer to where Brent stood. Her head tilted toward her shoulder, smiling flirtatiously. Voice soft like an open secret, she added, "And I also heard that all of the land Katze Biomedical facilities are on is owned by the von Fürst family."

The grin instantly fell form Brent's face. He stood blank for just a heartbeat, and then a look of fury took over his features, going red with rage. "Little _cunt_," he snapped. "You think you're so fucking clever, don't you? Some day that smart mouth of yours will be begging to suck my cock in exchange for a few scraps of slop."

"Oh my," Isabelle responded blankly.

"Looks like this one is rabid," Quindecim said, matching Isabelle's blank tone. "It's going to have to be put down."

" _Fürst_." Brent growled as he stomped a step toward him, but the warning snarl Shadow gave had him pausing in his tracks. It all felt remarkably familiar; Brent and Tres would be best friends if they ever met. "The only one here who's going to be put down is _you_. You'd better watch your back at school. Without your dirty, little mutt to protect you, you just might get your ass beat again." Then he spat at Shadow, only to have the dog dart out of the way, even an animal knowing anything that came out of Brent Katze's mouth was disgusting.

Quindecim didn't say anything as Brent stormed away, only stared after him blankly. The threat issued was meaningless; he had to put up with their bullying all the time anyway, this newest declaration of war didn't change anything. Though if the attacks became physical again like before, that would be troublesome.

"He's from your school?" Isabelle asked quietly.

"Yes," Quindecim answered. "Unfortunately."

"He didn't seem very nice."

That was putting it mildly. "He and his friends go out of their way to torment me as much as they can."

"Whatever for?"

Quindecim shrugged before answering, "Because I'm short and skinny and don't fit the alpha male standard."

A giggle sounded from Isabelle at that, and she pressed closer to him. "I think you're perfectly alpha," she said, and then she leaned in to push a soft kiss to his cheek.

Eyes glancing over once she had moved away again, Quindecim saw Isabelle's lips holding a gentle smile. He couldn't force himself to return the kiss, though. Or even the smile. Instead, he looked away again, eyes falling on the sneering figure of Brent Katze, watching from afar.

Quindecim returned the look, lip curling into a brief sneer of his own, and then his gaze lowered. His eyes widened, lips parting in surprise when he saw Shadow.

Now turned to face them, eyes locked on Isabelle, Shadow continued to rumble his low growl.

He rubbed the longer side of his damp hair with a towel as he moved into the bedroom, pausing only briefly to look at himself in the mirror. He met his own large, crystal gray eyes in the reflection, and gave a snort. Perfectly alpha. Yeah, right.

Shadow lay at the foot of the large bed, waiting patiently. He had already been taken on his evening walk to do his business; all he needed was for Quindecim to join him so they could turn in for the night.

He stared at the dog. Shadow had acted strangely all day, more possessive than usual. He hadn't let Isabelle touch or get anywhere near Quindecim, though she had never acted aggressive in any way. Shadow had acted jealous, which was something he had never done before. Then again, Quindecim had never courted anyone before, so really, this was new for the both of them.

After dropping his towel over the back of his desk chair, he sat on the edge of the bed, arms open and waiting when Shadow crawled up to him. "You'll always be my number one," he said as he pet the soft ears. And when Shadow leaned up to press his muzzle to Quindecim's cheek, he laughed. "Even if you're a weirdo."

Shadow continued to press kisses to his cheek, his soft fur feeling too good against Quindecim's bare skin, until Quindecim pushed him away and stood back up to get dressed.

He thought of Isabelle as he pulled his pajamas on, how she seemed very receptive to their relationship. Whatever it was she wanted from him, she was going for it without hesitation. It was admirable, even if he wasn't completely comfortable with it. It was going too fast for him – she needed to be pregnant by this time next year.

He thought of Brent as he pulled the comforter to the end of the bed, where it would stay for the night, and turned down the pure white sheet, the only cover he would need in the summer warmth. Once school started up again, he might have to get rides to and from the campus, make sure he wasn't left alone in a classroom without a teacher present, have Shadow escort him to and from the building. It was annoying, taking protective measures he shouldn't have to take – that nobody else had to take – but things weren't going to get any better anytime soon.

If he could threaten to have the Katze Foundation's buildings evicted and torn down if Brent and his goons didn't leave him alone, he would, but making a threat he couldn't see through would only make the situation worse if his bluff was called. He didn't know second-cousin Drei well enough to ask if it could be done.

He sat in bed with his back against the headboard, letting his head fall against the wall behind him, eyes closed. Everything was a pain in the ass; maybe he could just sleep through the next two school years, until Brent Katze was graduated and Unum and all of his cousins already had a gaggle of kids each so it was too late for Father's plan. Maybe then everyone would leave him alone.

A sudden wave of nausea hit him, and he slapped a hand over his mouth. Eyes clenching more tightly shut, he pressed his other hand to his stomach, trying to will himself not to get sick as his head began to spin. Something was wrong. He couldn't move, so afraid that the slightest twitch would have him vomiting in bed, but unable to scramble to the bathroom or even call out for help.

He held on for several painful moments, breathing in tiny, panting breaths until the nausea began to pass. Only when he could finally breathe more deeply did both of his hands fall to his sides as a comforting weight climbed over him to settle onto his lap. With a final sigh of relief, he opened his eyes at last to see a dark-haired man staring at him.

A scream tore from Quindecim's throat, the terror that had only just started to abate gripping him in its tight jaws once again as he fought to get away. He continued to scream as he tried to flee, but he was trapped like a rabbit in a snare. The wall behind him was a cage; the intruder sitting on his legs too large and heavy to be pushed away, though Quindecim tried his hardest to fight. He let out another cry of fear as the man leaned close to Quindecim's face, and he brought up a fist to punch the man in the side of the head.

The man let out a whimper, and all movement stopped.

Panting heavy breaths, Quindecim stared aghast into the light brown eyes of his intruder.

No- Not light brown.

Piss yellow.

The bedroom door burst open and Jin ran in, calling for Quindecim and brandishing his silver pistol. There was no hesitation as he took aim and pulled the trigger.

Quindecim moved, screamed out.

"No!!"

A shot rang out.


	11. Chapter 11

A bullet hole pocked the wall centimeters above Quindecim's head. He stared at it, eyes wide, as his arms stayed wrapped protectively around the man before him. The intruder. All this time- All this time, weeks now, he had been so scared of some unknown assailant, too afraid to even leave his room. All this time, he had childishly clung to his dog for protection against an intruder he couldn't name, and yet-

"It's Shadow!" Quindecim cried out, turning to face Jin. The old man's face was incredulous, like the scene before him didn't make any sense, because it didn't. But when the mysterious man lunged in to press a kiss to Quindecim's cheek, understanding finally dawned, as did relief at having been able to alter his aim in the last fraction of a second.

"Young Master..."

"I don't know how," Quindecim said next. "I don't know why this is happening, but believe me." Then he pulled back, looking into the human face. The eyes were the same, no mistake about it. The familiar leather collar circled the man's neck, tags jingling together as he leaned in to attempt another kiss, though Quindecim held him back. "Shadow... What's happened to you?" he asked softly as his hands slid into the midnight black hair, framing the handsome face. There were human ears under all that hair, and floppy dog ears on top of the man's head, and Quindecim had barely started to wonder which set was functional when he heard Jin suddenly gasp.

Before he could even look up, Jin had grabbed the comforter from the foot of the bed and threw it over Shadow, then darted to the window. Quindecim opened his mouth to ask what he was doing, but snapped it shut again when he heard the rushing footsteps.

His screams of fear would have gone unanswered, but a gunshot wouldn't.

Jin had just thrown back the curtain and pushed open the window when Father came into the room on swift steps, Edmunt right behind him. Unum and Lucrezia, as well as some other house staff, entered right after, Unum's crystal blue eyes wide with fear, whereas Father just looked stern as he asked, "What's going on here?"

"Sir, the intruder from before came back," Jin reported. "He escaped through the window."

"This is the third floor," Unum said, voice low with shocked disbelief.

"I believe he climbed the vines that run down this side of the house. They run close enough to this room to reach the window."

Unum's brows drew together as his eyes narrowed, giving Father a sideways glance that went unseen. "I told you those needed to be cut."

Father frowned, though there was something like guilt in his eyes, like he finally believed Quindecim's claim that someone had broken in – believed it _now_, now that Quindecim knew the truth. "Search the grounds," he ordered. "Find the intruder and bring them to me."

Several of the staff members immediately ran to obey, while Father trained his gaze on Quindecim, whose hands fidgeted with the comforter, all too aware of what was hidden underneath. If Shadow got impatient or excited... if he decided to jump out from under the covers... There would be nothing Quindecim could say to explain away a naked man in his bed.

After a moment, though, Father's dark blue eyes moved to Jin. "Thank you, for protecting my son."

Jin gave a short bow. "It is my honor to protect him."

With a nod, Father took his leave, having never addressed Quindecim directly. The other staff and servants – little more than eavesdroppers – left as well, but Unum came further into the room. Approaching the bed, he cupped Quindecim's face in his hands, stroking his cheek with a thumb. Quindecim leaned into the touch, warmed and warmed all the more when Unum said, "I'm glad you're safe."

Then, without warning, without time to realize and stop it, Unum grabbed the comforter and whisked it away, revealing all that it hid.

Shadow was a dog again, the change happening without notice, and when he saw Unum, his tail began to wag happily. He stood up on the bed, stepping on Quindecim's leg in the process, to receive pettings and ear ruffles, panting smiles at every stroke of Unum's hands.

"Some guard dog you are," Unum teased as he lavished attention and affection on the dog.

"He was scared by the gunshot," Quindecim lied.

"Well." Unum pressed a kiss to Shadow's forehead, then stepped back. "He wasn't the only one." Then he moved back to Quindecim, wrapping arms around him, holding him and enveloping him in his scent for a too-short moment before he slipped away. "Try to get some sleep," he smiled, then ran a hand through Quindecim's hair as he added, "Not that that's ever a problem for you."

Quindecim took hold of Unum's wrist, just for a few more seconds of comfort. He didn't have anything to say, though, so after a few short beats he let his hand slip away.

Unum turned to Jin next, smiling fondly. "I'm glad he has you."

Jin bowed once again, giving the same level of respect to Unum as he did to Father. "I am as well," he replied, a smile twinkling in his eyes.

They said their goodnights and Unum left, Lucrezia following stoic behind him, and the room fell silent again. From outside, Quindecim could just barely hear the staff calling out to each other, announcing where they've checked and where needed to be checked still, searching the grounds for something they wouldn't find. If he'd had more energy, he may have been angry that it took Jin saying something for his claims of an intruder to be taken seriously.

"What shall we do now, Young Master?" Jin asked softly enough not to break the quiet.

Quindecim looked down at Shadow, who looked back and then leaned to snuggle against Quindecim's chest.

"I don't know," he answered after a stretched moment. "I really don't know."

There was a danger in that they didn't know how much control Shadow had over the change, if any at all. If it happened in public and people saw, they would know Shadow wasn't normal, might take him away to experiment on. If some unscrupulous scientist discovered that Shadow couldn't die... The testing might kill him and Quindecim both.

The next time turned out to be when Quindecim was in the bath.

He had shut the door, wanting some privacy, some time to sit and not think. A shut door was a sign to Jin that he didn't want to be disturbed, but he found himself almost regretting the decision when the sudden nausea hit him, turning his peaceful bath into a fight not to make the worst kind of mess. He had only just started to recover when the door handle began to turn.

It was Shadow who came in, crawling on the floor like he didn't know how to use those new, human legs of his. His hand mostly pawed at the handle, fingers a mystery, but the way he watched himself, his new extremities, told Quindecim the day would come when he could open doors like a human. It wouldn’t be the first time Shadow taught himself tricks.

It gave Quindecim his first real, good look at Shadow's new form, strange in how not strange it was. The body was almost completely human. The only hints that he was something else were the dog ears that persisted on top of his head, and the long tail that trailed behind him, like he didn't know how to exist without it. Whether this body was something Shadow chose for himself or a sick joke played by that demon, Quindecim didn't know, but for the first time, he found himself truly interested in something.

Then Shadow crawled over to the tub and reared up to plant his hands on the tub's ledge. He looked like he wanted to jump in but couldn't figure out how to make this body do that. His hands slid into the water, dipping his arms in to the shoulder, further more, until he was resting on his ribs, hanging half in and half out, nearly drowning himself. Quindecim was caught between helping him in and paralyzing at the thought of sharing a bath with a naked _man_.

His eyes slid down to Shadow's groin and he had just barely thought how glad he was that he had never gotten him neutered before he snapped his gaze back up, disgusted with himself. No matter what body he had, Shadow was still a _dog_.

Quindecim stood, and nearly fainted. It seemed like all of his strength had been left swirling in the water, and he gripped the ledge of the tub to steady himself. He could feel his energy drain from him, making his legs shake.

Shadow looked over at him, something turning in that dog head of his, and then he pulled back, extracting himself from the water and his attempts to get in. And then he began to change. Right before Quindecim's eyes, Shadow's body began to sprout fur and his face elongated. His legs shortened, fingers pulled together, teeth sharpened. It didn't come with the sickness the change to human did; barely took any time either. When he was left with a black lab looking up at him, wagging his tail, Quindecim could almost feel a plug being put on the energy draining out of him.

He was left with just enough strength to drag himself, wet and naked, into bed.

He wouldn't say he was excited for the next time Shadow's human form appeared, but he would be lying if he denied that his heart skipped a beat at the next onset of nausea, even if it resulted in him vomiting onto the book he had been halfheartedly reading on the sitting room floor. After spitting the last of his lunch onto the ruined pages, he looked towards his feet, where Shadow had been laying, to see the newly formed man crawling up to him.

"Shadow," he whispered, and in response, Shadow nuzzled his head against Quindecim's.

Then Shadow placed his hand on the book, not seeming to notice or care when it landed in puke. Quindecim cringed, then sat up, intending to call for Jin but he was hit with such a wave of exhaustion that he had to plant his hands on the floor so he didn't fall over. Shadow scrambled to sit next to him, brows drawn up in concern, the first really human expression to appear on that newly human face.

"It's okay," Quindecim said, though he didn't know if Shadow would understand. "I'm okay."

Like before, Shadow seemed to watch him for a moment, as if trying to judge just how much of Quindecim's strength he was allowed to take. As though he had decided he had taken too much already, he began to revert back. It started with the fur, also like before.

Quindecim's hand shot out, taking Shadow by the arm. "Don't!" And the transformation halted, leaving a hairier version of the human Shadow. Quindecim held his hand up then, commanding, "Stay," though he had no idea how to express that he meant for Shadow to stay as he was, stay human. "It's okay. I can handle it."

Watching for a moment more, the black fur then began to recede back into Shadow's body, swallowed up by human skin.

The intercom was on the other side of the room, too far out of reach for Quindecim in this state. He patted his pockets, momentarily forgetting that he had yanked his phone out of his pocket and tossed it away in annoyance when it had jabbed him in the hip as he laid out. Now it was out of reach, which would figure, but was rectifiable.

He lifted a finger, wondering if this would work, then said a simple, "Get it."

Shadow immediately moved to obey, crawling in his weird way on hands and feet with his ass in the air, ambling to where the phone lay. It took a few tries, lacking a muzzle, but he managed to get a corner of the phone into his mouth, clamped between teeth, to bring it back to where Quindecim sat with a fond smile.

"Good boy," Quindecim praised, petting Shadow's soft hair with one hand as he took the phone with the other. He wiped the drool off on his pant leg, then speed-dialed Jin, requesting him to come to the sitting room, then let the phone drop to the floor afterwards. Sitting against a chair, he took in steady breaths, trying to conserve his energy, but when Shadow whimpered and leaned against him, he breathed another smile.

Jin came in asking what he needed, but quickly changed to protective mode when he saw the state Quindecim was in. "Young Master!" he called, rushing to Quindecim's side, taking a long look at the human Shadow before focusing back on his charge. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Quindecim answered, eyelids drooping heavy. "Seems it takes a lot out of me for him to be able to do that."

Jin looked up at Shadow again, then said in an admonishing voice, "Master Shadow-"

"It's fine," Quindecim interrupted, though he was almost amused at Jin taking such a _normal_ tone with the changed dog. "I want..." He looked over at Shadow, the new and unusual thing he had become. "I want to get to know this version of him."

After a heavy moment of silence, Jin simply said, "Please don't lose too much of yourself."

Quindecim didn't address it. He had already given his soul for Shadow, what was a little bit more? So his only reply was to gesture weakly towards the vomit-covered book, asking, "Could you take care of that?"

"Yes, Young Master."

"And Shadow stuck his paw- His hand in it. Could you bring a washcloth to clean him up with?" Once he got Jin's affirmation, Quindecim added a weak, "And also..." Then his eyes closed.

"Master Quindecim?"

The last thing he managed to whisper was, "Find some clothes for him."

Shadow was a dog again when Quindecim woke up, in his bed, a day later. Quindecim was happy to see him either way.

He had just sat up, pushing the sheets aside and taking a moment to pet Shadow's ears, when Jin came into the room. He carried a small basin and a face towel, and an expression of surprise and relief came over his features when he saw Quindecim awake.

"You're up," Jin said simply.

Quindecim responded with, "Have you bugged my room?"

"That is an unusual question," Jin replied as he approached the bed, setting the basin down.

"I just woke up now, and here you are. I know you're good at what you do, but that is too uncanny, even for you."

Dipping the towel into the basin's clean water, Jin began to gently wipe Quindecim's face, washing away any traces of sweat and sleep crust. "It is my job to make sure you are attended to."

"Either you've bugged my room, or you've been in here every five minutes to check on me."

Jin just smiled, something sad residing in his eyes. It kind of broke Quindecim's heart.

Pulling his face away from Jin's caring hands, he quietly muttered, "You worry too much."

"You give me much to worry about," Jin replied. He left the towel in the basin and moved to the wardrobe, adding, "You have to admit, this is an unprecedented situation. We don't know anything about what's going on yet."

"We know some things," Quindecim replied as he watched the butler pull some clothes from the back of the wardrobe. Faded black jeans and a black t-shirt – clothes Quindecim himself would never wear. "He can control it, at least to some extent, but I don't know why he chooses to change when he does."

Jin brought the clothes over, smiling. "Then there's hope we can train him out of it."

Quindecim looked at Shadow without responding, and Shadow looked back. The truth of the matter was, Quindecim didn't want to train him out of it. He wanted to see more of that Shadow, so long as it was at an appropriate time. He wondered if he could train Shadow to change on command.

"What do you think of these?" Jin asked as he held the dark clothing up for Quindecim to see, pulling him from his thoughts. "I'm not sure of the fit, but they should be easy for him to move around in."

Quindecim nodded. The clothes were void of any fancy or frills, completely plain; they wouldn't garner any unwanted attention. "They suit him."

Jin bowed a nod of his own. When he straightened, his expression had turned serious. "Hopefully, there will be no need for them."


	12. Chapter 12

"Change."

Shadow just panted a smile, tail wagging.

"Change," Quindecim repeated, running a hand along his leg.

Shadow sniffed at him excitedly, clearly not understanding but happy for the attention all the same.

"Change." This time he gestured to his face, which only resulted in Shadow jumping up to plant a kiss on his cheek, soft muzzle pushing against him. He'd had zero success getting the dog to change to his other form at all, much less on command. He couldn't think of a word or gesture that would let Shadow know what he wanted, and it had been a week since he had last seen Shadow the young man.

He pushed Shadow away, leaning back in his desk chair. Three cans of an overly sweet energy drink sat lined up on his desk, preparations for a fight he couldn't instigate, and he reached over, fiddling with the pull-tab of the first can before moving past it to grab the tiny cupcake beside it. It was a dog treat, made by a dog "café" that made specialized treats for pets. The ingredients were safe for animals, right down to the whipped cream on top, and it cost more than some families could afford to spend on food for a whole day.

It was Shadow's favorite, and it was a bribe.

As soon as the miniature cupcake was brought into view, Shadow's paws began to tap excitedly on the floor. The spoiled dog knew exactly what it was by sight, even though he only got one once a year. Quindecim made sure to give the dog a good, long look before he held the cupcake away, out of reach, and Shadow knew better than to try and lunge for it.

"Now, _change_."

Shadow tapped his paws.

Quindecim patted his hand against his own cheek. "Change."

Shadow licked his lips, eyes intent on the prize.

With a long sigh, Quindecim let his hand drop, and Shadow's gaze fell with it, following the treat. He wasn't getting anywhere this way, any more than he got from simply waiting for Shadow to decide to make the change on his own.

"Lie down."

Shadow laid down instantly.

"Up."

And Shadow stood.

"Roll over."

Shadow rolled.

Quindecim lifted a finger, pointing at the sofa across the room, then commanded, "Get it."

Shadow ran to the sofa and grabbed a cushion, holding it tight between his teeth as he brought it back to Quindecim.

Every command was followed with ease. Jump, turn around, walk, run; Shadow performed each action without hesitation.

"_Change_."

Shadow tilted his head.

Quindecim scoffed in defeat as he hung his head, then held out the cupcake for Shadow to take. Shadow's tail wagged furiously as he bit the treat in half, letting chunks of cupcake fall to the carpet as he devoured the majority of it in one bite. He went for the fallen pieces as Quindecim stood, and by the time the desk chair was pushed in, the carpet was cleaned of every crumb.

He only had one more idea for how to encourage the transformation. If it didn't work, he would have to wait for Shadow to decide himself when to change again, whenever that may be, or accept that it may never happen again.

He would try to recreate the circumstances around which the transformation happened before. At best, perhaps that would help him figure out what brought it about, but even if he couldn't, if the change came, at the very least it would let him see that other Shadow again.

The first time it had happened... Well, he would skip that one. But the second time, while Quindecim didn't see anything special about the moment, Shadow must have. So he changed into the same pajamas he had worn that night, pulled the comforter to the foot of his bed, and climbed in. He sat against the headboard, laid his head back, and closed his eyes.

He waited.

Nothing happened.

Without opening his eyes, Quindecim patted his lap, prompting Shadow to jump up on the bed. His weight was a comfort, regardless of what form he was in. After another bit of waiting, however, there was still nothing, no nausea, no change. With a quiet hope that maybe the transformation had happened without some kind of notice, he opened his eyes again.

Sitting half on the bed, half on Quindecim's lap, Shadow was still a dog, looking around the room as if perfectly content with life.

Maybe that was it. Maybe Shadow hadn't been happy that day. Maybe Quindecim had to take some chick out on a date first.

Reaching out, Quindecim cupped Shadow's head in his hands, and Shadow's gaze turned to look at him.

"Change," Quindecim whispered.

Shadow watched him a moment, then panted a smile.

He sighed again, then ruffled Shadow's cheeks before sliding his hands up to rub at the soft, floppy ears. He would try one more thing, and then he really would go to bed.

He drew a bath, leaving Shadow alone in the bedroom as he sank into the warm water. Again, he waited, and when he felt a twinge of something turning in his stomach, he grew hopeful. It wasn't as debilitating as it had been before, but it was something.

The bathroom door opened, Quindecim's heart leapt, and in trotted the black beast that was Shadow.

Shadow strode up to the tub, full of smiles, and Quindecim held up a hand, commanding, "Stay," to keep the dog from jumping in. Then he leaned on the tub's ledge, resting his head on folded arms. His voice was affectionate as he said, "You think you can just come in here whenev- Ah."

Ah.

He had shut the door all the way that time when Shadow had come in as a human. When latched, it couldn't be pushed open simply – it required hands. Before, Shadow needed human hands to get the doorknob to turn. This time, though Quindecim had closed the door, it hadn't latched shut.

He climbed out of the tub, unconcerned about the water that dripped onto the bathroom floor. Shadow followed him back to the bedroom, and then Quindecim immediately turned and entered the bathroom again, closing the door fully shut behind him, separating himself from Shadow.

Barely a minute had passed after he had slid into the bathwater again when he heard the door jostle in its frame, scratching at it from outside, but the latch held. A feint whimper sounded, and then everything fell silent.

The nausea hit. Quindecim held his breath, clenched his eyes chut, and smiled.

It didn't hit as hard or last as long this time. Just a few moments of wooziness, his head spinning weakly. As if his body were getting used to the massive amounts of energy being stolen, his gut churned and then righted itself.

The door pushed against the frame again, and then the knob began to turn slowly. When a space appeared, Quindecim could see the long, human fingers wrapped around the doorknob, turning it this way and that, testing out how this new hand worked.

"Shadow," Quindecim called, and Shadow's eyes immediately turned to him. Even with a human face, Shadow's eyes were the same, full of the same warmth and love, a kind of look Quindecim wasn't used to seeing directed at him from another person.

Shadow came over to the bathtub, crawling in the strange way he did in this body. He still didn't seem to get jumping, either, again attempting to climb into the water, getting stuck halfway. Quindecim helped him in this time, wrapping his arms under Shadow's and pulling with all of his strength. He was probably less an assistance and more like moral support, never very strong, even when he wasn't losing energy like a cracked dam, but somehow between his tugging and Shadow's scrambling feet, they got him into the tub.

Almost immediately, Shadow's hands started paddling at the water, moving on instinct even though the water only came up to his chest. Quindecim couldn't help a smile.

He moved slowly, trying to conserve energy as best he could as he took Shadow by the hands and pulled him closer to where the faucet was. Flicking the water on and making sure it was warm enough, he then guided Shadow's head towards the running stream. And Shadow went along with it, because he trusted Quindecim unconditionally, for some reason, and because baths weren't anything new to him. When Shadow's black hair was wet, flopping into his eyes like a midnight curtain, he shook his head – like a dog – sending water droplets flinging everywhere.

"Brat," Quindecim said, though his smile – the one only for Shadow – persisted. Then he reached for his shampoo, wondering if there was actually any difference between the human stuff and dog shampoo when the bottle slipped out of the weakened grasp of his hand, disappearing into the water below. Staring at where the bottle had vanished, Quindecim repressed another sigh. He would push himself as hard as he could, even if it meant sleeping for two weeks afterwards. So he pointed his finger to where he had dropped the shampoo and said, "Get it."

Shadow dove under the water, and through the blooming ripples, Quindecim could see him go after the bottle. With the human shape of his mouth, however, he was unable to get his teeth around it. Though he tried biting at it, all he succeeded in doing was pushing the bottle away, closer to Quindecim's crotch, until eventually he had to give up and come up for air. He continued to stare down at the water as he breathed, tongue hanging out in a pant, though it didn't look nearly as much like a smile on the human face.

He ducked under the water again, going for a second try, but Quindecim caught his head in his hands and brought him back up. They regarded each other a moment, Shadow's gaze careful and intent, waiting for an order. Quindecim slid his hands down until they covered Shadow's, guiding them into the water. "Get it," he repeated softly as he pressed Shadow's fingers against the bottle.

Seconds after Quindecim pulled his hands away, Shadow brought the bottle up on his own, pushing it against Quindecim's chest.

"Good boy," Quindecim said, taking the shampoo with one hand and reaching to pet Shadow with the other, digging his fingers into the wet hair to scratch behind one of the black puppy ears. Shadow lurched forward, wanting closer, wanting to climb into Quindecim's lap, apparently. Quindecim held him back, not that he could have actually stopped the dog if Shadow were more determined, weakened as he was, but Shadow knew better.

The shampoo didn't smell like anything in particular. It did its job of washing his hair, and didn't need to be any fancier than that. Shadow certainly didn't care what it smelled like – he seemed happy simply to have Quindecim's hands on him, rubbing lather into his hair. The only time his tail stopped its underwater wagging, stopped churning tiny waves into the water, was when Quindecim's hands stopped, a wave of exhaustion forcing him to rest a moment.

"I'm okay," Quindecim said softly as he resumed shampooing, and then he took a moment to slide his hands down and cup Shadow's cheeks.

He definitely made a handsome human. If Quindecim didn't know what he was – didn't know he was a _dog_ – it was very likely he would be attracted to this version of Shadow. He already loved him, at any rate.

Quindecim smiled, Shadow panted, and then they rinsed his hair under the faucet.

He didn't bother with conditioner or scrubbing Shadow's body. For now, he just wanted to get Shadow used to this form with little things, and he didn't know how much longer he had before the exhaustion swallowed him up. He didn't want to pass out in the bathtub and drown. So once Shadow's hair was free of suds, clean and shining, Quindecim hit the stopper to drain the tub, then carefully pulled himself out. He sat on the floor of the bathroom for a moment, intending to rest a bit before helping Shadow out of the tub, but a second later, Shadow came clambering over the side on his own, face-first. It wasn't a graceful moment, but once Shadow was out, he sat on his haunches – like a dog – and stared intently at Quindecim.

"Let's get you dressed," Quindecim said despite not having any delusions about Shadow being able to understand him.

He stood, he fought the exhaustion that darkened the edges of his vision, and he took careful steps towards the bedroom, grabbing his pajamas and a towel along the way. Shadow crawled after him. Once sat in his desk chair again, Quindecim patted himself dry only briefly, then reached for one of the cans of energy drink. It wasn't likely to help that much, but if it gave him even a few more minutes, it would be worth it.

He guzzled the first can, the carbonation tearing at his throat. It tasted all right, though, like sugar and caffeine. The second can went more slowly, rubbing Shadow down with the towel in between sips. He didn't feel too different once he had the drinks in him, but it kept the edge of unconsciousness off.

Only after two of the cans were emptied did he try to stand again, each plodding step towards the wardrobe feeling like he was wearing slippers made of concrete, the pajamas he carried weighing his arm down like they were a bag of bricks. But he made it, and he was able to find the outfit Jin had prepared, hidden in the far back reaches of the wardrobe. Sitting on the sofa, just because it was closest, he pulled his own clothes on first, and then he called Shadow over.

Getting the t-shirt on Shadow was an easy enough matter, simply pulling limbs into the proper holes as needed. The jeans were slightly more troublesome, requiring a moment to figure out the course of action that would use up the least amount of energy. When he instructed Shadow to lay down and roll over, the commands were followed without hesitation, as always, and from there he was able to slide to the floor and fight the denims up Shadow's long, human legs.

He hesitated when he got to the crotch area. Underwear hadn't been included, and there was no way Shadow would fit into anything of Quindecim's. But he couldn't let Shadow run around with his dick hanging out, so with his cheeks warming for perhaps the first time in his life, Quindecim took a careful, light hold of Shadow's soft member. He thought clinical thoughts as his fingers circled around the dog's dick – this was out of necessity, no different than a doctor giving an exam. Shadow wouldn't think anything of it. There was nothing to it. He was relieved when the organ was tucked away and the pants zipped up.

Shadow looked good, dressed all up like a real human. Quindecim thought about taking the leather collar off, but decided against it. It looked good with the clothes; black suited him.

Using the sofa for leverage, Quindecim climbed to his feet again, sugar strength keeping him upright. He held his hands out, calling, "Up," and Shadow bounced to his feet, rearing up to place his hands in Quindecim's. "All the way up," Quindecim said next as he began to move backward, an attempt to get Shadow to walk on his legs. And Shadow did take a couple steps, but his body stayed crouched, knees bent. When Quindecim kept going, Shadow eventually gave up, letting himself be pulled over his feet, until he was simply being dragged across the room.

Quindecim laughed, a sound rare even to his own ears. He couldn't help the way it bubbled out of him. "Lazy mutt." Then he dropped Shadow's hands, letting him faceplant into the floor completely, and tried again. "Up."

When Shadow's hands were in his again, Quindecim lifted him by the arms, trying to get him to at least stand fully upright. It would be impossible for him to pull Shadow up, even if Quindecim were at full strength; he had to get Shadow to stand on his own. And with some encouragement, he did. Long legs unfurled, knees straightening. He leaned too far forward at first, but was able to right himself, figuring out bipedal balance. Quindecim kept their hands clasped, though his arms lowered, holding up Shadow's weight as best he could when the dog swayed forward.

Then, they began to walk.

Quindecim stepped backward and Shadow followed, a fawn on shaky legs. They moved from one corner of the room to another, hands held tightly together, and Quindecim's smile grew with every square inch of carpet they covered. "You're doing it," he whispered, and Shadow's tail began to wag.

At the far corner, they turned, stepping like a waltz and then continuing back across the room. This time, Quindecim led them to the desk, where he stopped, just standing for a moment before placing Shadow's hands on the desk, keeping him upright. Then he reached up to pet fingers through Shadow's hair, ruffling the puppy ears. "Good boy," he cooed. "Good boy; good walk." Shadow's tail wagged harder, and Quindecim's smile turned up, then he sat in the chair and reached for the last energy drink.

Sliding from the desk, back down to the floor, Shadow began to crawl over to where Quindecim sat, but Quindecim was quick to set the can down again and stand. "Ah ah," he admonished, letting Shadow know that wasn't what he wanted. He pointed a finger at the ground and then drew it up towards the ceiling. "Up."

Shadow sat for a moment, then slowly, carefully, stood up again. He stood a full head taller than Quindecim, broad and strong, but not too large to pet and praise.

Taking his can of liquid energy, Quindecim walked to the sofa on the other side of the room, cracking the can open as he sat. As expected, Shadow followed, stepping carefully on his human legs. Quindecim drank as Shadow walked, and when Shadow dropped down to his crouched form again, Quindecim again gave the command to stand, which in this form meant on two feet.

The drink was done by the time Shadow made it to the sofa, and Quindecim set the can aside to lavish praise and affection on him.

He had a few more minutes of energy in him, a few more moments of consciousness, and he used them to wander the room, encouraging Shadow to walk after him, petting and praising the dog every time they were reunited. The wait time became shorter, Shadow's steps becoming more sure-footed as he got used to the new gait. Somehow, Quindecim never grew bored of the slow game of tag.

Perhaps next time, they would try running or jumping; perhaps they could make it outside, to the park or the zoo. They could have a picnic, or he could take Shadow to see the wolves. For now, however, he was at his limit. Another energy drink would just send his heart into palpitations instead of moving his legs, or worse – maybe it would have no effect at all.

Their last stop was the bed. Quindecim climbed up and sat in the middle of the large mattress, and Shadow copied him, climbing onto the bed like a human, sitting beside Quindecim like a dog. "Good boy," Quindecim said again, running hands through Shadow's hair, over his cheeks, down his chest. He pet his Shadow until he couldn't move his arms any more, and then he closed his eyes, feeling his body fall forward.

He was slowly lowered to the bed, cracking his eyes open just enough to find Shadow's arms around him. And he smiled.

He wondered who would be with him when he woke.


	13. Chapter 13

It was still far too hot out when school started up again. Eleventh grade started with as little fanfare as tenth grade had; not top of the school, where the seniors were, nor the shiny, doted-on babes like the freshmen. Another middle-child school year. Quindecim had hoped he could get through the year quickly and quietly with his head down, but that was dashed when he walked into his new classroom to find Brent Katze sneering at him.

"Well, well. Look what the _rat_ dragged in," Brent said. The goon sitting behind him laughed, as did Elizabeth Angelov, leaning over his desk with her tits almost spilling out of her shirt, though her laugh sounded more forced. Seemed the rest of their clique got separated into other classes, though Brent alone was more than Quindecim wanted to deal with for a year. "How's your girlfriend?"

Something hurt crossed Elizabeth's eyes, snapping "You got a girlfriend?" as she stood up straighter.

"Apparently so," Brent answered for him. "And she's a real cunt."

Elizabeth's lip curled up into a sneer; her brow crinkled, wounded. She needed to get over her little crush. "Are you sure it wasn't a man in disguise?"

Brent laughed loud, their other little goon whose name Quindecim would never know did as well, though Elizabeth didn't look especially pleased with herself.

Mr. Gate, their assigned homeroom teacher for the year, entered the room, and the students began to find their seats. Quindecim just blinked slowly at Elizabeth, then said a bland, "Jealousy looks really ugly on you," before he wandered off to find a desk by the windows. He could see Elizabeth glare hell and fury at him in the reflection of the glass.

Another year that he didn't look forward to. He didn't like this classroom – he couldn't see the front gate from here, couldn't see Shadow, waiting patiently for him. The room was only on the second floor of the building, not even high enough to see over the white, marble wall that surrounded the school. He had nothing to look at, and Mr. Gate's voice was too droning to hold Quindecim's eyes open.

Another year of Father scolding him for sleeping through class.

A different teacher stood at the front of the room when he woke up again. This year's science professor, going on about plants or something. He couldn't remember her name nor be bothered to pull out his schedule for the year to check. He figured he would find out her name eventually, just as she would quickly find out his, as he stifled a yawn and ran a hand through the long side of his hair to push it out of his face.

His hand got stuck.

His fingers hit something sticky in his hair, lodging into the silver strands, and with a frown on his lip and a crinkle to his nose, he pulled the whole lock of hair forward to inspect it. He found a disgusting wad of green gum stuck fast in his hair, and immediately he turned a hot gaze at Brent, who smiled back at him while chomping away at a fresh piece of gum.

Quindecim scowled, pulled his hand from his hair, then stood up and grabbed his bag, walking out of the classroom without a word to anyone.

He claimed he didn't know who put the gum in his hair when the front office's secretary asked him while she carefully cut the mess out with a pair of sharp scissors. It didn't matter – there was nothing anyone could do to get Brent Katze and his band of bitches to leave him alone, and he didn't want to make things worse. He would take care of it himself somehow, just as Father insisted he do. He didn't yet know what he _could_ do, but whatever he came up with... he wanted it to be permanent.

He only lost a little bit of length to his hair when the gum was all out. The secretary did a good job, and he thanked her as he left the office, though he had no intention of returning to class. Instead, he headed out the front doors to the front entrance, where Shadow waited for him. "Come," he called, and Shadow trotted to his side as he diverted towards one of his usual corners. He would have an early lunch, hide away somewhere, then try again to join the second half of classes.

Perhaps it was lucky that Shadow hadn't tried to join him for classes, though he honestly hadn't figured out what made the dog change yet. Maybe it was when he lacked attention or was unhappy with something. Maybe it was random, though that was doubtful. Whatever it was, it hadn't happened again since the last time, when Quindecim got him to walk upright. At this rate, Quindecim would have to go through that all over again, teaching the dog to walk once more, again and again, every time he transformed.

It didn't sound bad at all.

He pet Shadow idly while they ate together, their corner quieter than usual without any other students wandering around. It almost made Quindecim wish he could always have an off-schedule lunch, or even do homeschooling, though Father would never go for that. He was supposed to be making connections here, though there wasn't anyone he wanted to connect with.

He could tell when the other students had been let out for lunch from how the noise levels around the school increased dramatically. Even if no one found his little corner, he could hear their talking as they hung out on the front steps; he could hear the athletic teams calling out the start of their noon practice.

"Time to go," Quindecim said, standing and gathering his things. He gave Shadow one final pet before he pointed to the front gate and commanded, "Go back."

Shadow pranced away, quick and eager to obey.

Quindecim was able to slip into the school, quiet and unnoticed. He didn't want to be caught in the classroom alone, not while Brent and company were out to establish the tone of the new year, but he wasn't likely to fare any better if he roamed the halls at random.

He wasn't looking for it, but he happened across Professor Koe's office, the dark wood of the closed door a shield he could bide his time behind. _M. Koe, PhD._ embossed in gold on the door, promising at least a moment of reprieve.

His soft knock was responded to with a questioning, "Yes?" and he opened the door to see the teacher staring in surprise, strings of noodles held in mid-air between chopsticks.

"Sorry to interrupt your lunch," Quindecim said in a low voice as he pushed the door shut behind him and leaned against it.

Professor Koe's cheeks tinged pink and his glasses began to slide down his face. "Quindecim..." Then he lowered his food into the plastic Tupperware bowl he held, setting it on his desk with the chopsticks placed gracefully on top. "Is there... something I can help you with?"

Quindecim smiled, lowering his eyelids, trying to look playful and flirty, trying to imitate the things he had seen girls do towards Unum. "I didn't realize we were on a first-name basis, Professor." He held back a laugh at how the teacher's back went ramrod straight, hands fidgeting their way to below the desk.

"M-Mr. von Fürst, I'm always willing to help a student." He pushed his glasses up, but they just slid right back down, nerves and heat dampening his brow. "So if you needed anything-"

"I'm not your student," Quindecim interrupted. "Not this year." He smiled again as he approached the desk, adding a cutesy, "Unfortunately."

Professor Koe's voice went quiet. "You are still _a_ student... And I am a teacher." A reminder, though to whom wasn't clear.

Quindecim leaned on the desk that separated them. He didn't have breasts to dump out of his shirt, but the pose did stick his ass up in the air. It was a foolish way to act, like some kind of bimbo, but the way it made Professor Koe's face turn another shade pinker made it all worth it. He leaned forward, resting on his planted hands. "I do need help with something." Leaning further still, he brought his face closer to the teacher's. "Something only you can help me with."

"Y-Yes?" Professor Koe leaned in before he drew back.

Quindecim searched his mind, an excuse he could give that would keep him here, keep him playing and pushing this mess of a teacher without getting asked to leave.

"Mr. von Fürst-"

"Experiments," Quindecim said quickly. "I need to know how to do experiments."

Professor Koe blinked, cute, behind his glasses. His posture seemed to relax, having a view of familiar territory laid out before him. "Experiments? What kind of experiments?"

"I don't know," Quindecim replied as he lowered his chest to rest his elbows on the desk, dropping his chin into his hands. It made his ass stick out even further. "There's something I need to find out, but I don't really know where to begin."

"What do you need to find out?"

"That's a secret."

"Mr. von Fürst-"

"Quindecim," he interrupted. "You can call me by my first name."

Professor Koe's cheeks simmered a warm pink, though there was confliction in his eyes. Eventually, though, he smiled softly. "All right, Quindecim." He looked smitten as his eyes dropped, gaze falling to somewhere off to the side. He cleared his throat, giving himself a moment, before looking back at Quindecim to say, "I can't help you with experiments if I don't know what you're trying to test."

Quindecim frowned, a borderline pout, and stood up straight. "That's too bad." He turned towards the office door. "Thanks anyway." He hadn't gone two steps before the teacher was on his feet.

"Wait!" And when Quindecim stopped, Professor Koe amended to, "I might be able to help if you just tell me the basics. Whatever you can say, we can work with it."

Quindecim turned back. "Are you sure? I know you're very busy."

"It's no problem."

He gave a smile, stepped his way back over to the desk, and perched himself on it. He crossed his legs casually as he said, "Something keeps happening around me, but I can't figure out why or how to control it."

"What kind of thing?" Professor Koe asked curiously.

"I can't say."

"Okay..." Then the teacher sat again, folding his hands together on top of the desk. He met Quindecim's gaze, face turning up to him. "When does it happen?"

"Usually when I'm naked."

Professor Koe's face lit up bright red. Quindecim _almost_ dropped the cutesy, flirty garbage and laughed.

Instead, he added, "Not always, but usually."

"I-Is there any other commonality in the occurrences?" Professor Koe asked, one hand pushing up his glasses while the other tapped mindlessly on his desk. "Aside from y-your state of undress?"

Quindecim thought about it, actually considering it sincerely. "It usually happens in my room. Only once has it happened somewhere else, and even then it was still in my house."

"When did it start?"

"A couple months ago."

"Was there anything going on in your life then? Any new stresses?"

He tried to remember. It couldn't have been because of his fear of the intruder because Shadow _was_ the intruder. And though Father had ordered him to have a child around then, it wasn't like Shadow would have understood all that. He hadn't yet met Isabelle the first time it happened, so it wasn't likely to have been some kind of jealousy that started it all. When he thought about it, though, it wasn't like Shadow taking a human form was out of the blue. There had been other human-isms before that.

When he looked back down at Professor Koe again, he found the teacher watching him as if enchanted. "Professor?"

Professor Koe sat up straighter, a spell broken. "Oh, sorry. I wanted to give you time to think, but seem to have zoned out myself."

"What were you thinking about?" Quindecim asked, smiling cute.

"Ah, nothing special. Just... You're very introspective, aren't you?" He returned the smile with a gentle look of his own. "So, what do you think?"

Quindecim dropped the cutesy act. He didn't think he was particularly introspective – had come up with the whole 'experiments' thing on a whim, almost a joke – but now that he was thinking about it... Now that he had someone asking the questions that could lead him to answers, he saw a chance to come closer to the truth. "I think what's been happening would have started happening anyway, regardless of any stresses on my part. I think the 'why' of it starting in the first place was just because that was the natural progression."

Professor Koe's smile deepened and he nodded, silently encouraging Quindecim to continue.

"To find out why it happens when it does..."

"You need a hypothesis."

"Such as?"

"I can't come up with that for you unless I know more details."

Quindecim though for a moment. "I can only hypothesize that it has something to do with the other party being jealous or wanting attention."

Blinking owlishly several beats, Professor Koe then admitted, "This is not about what I thought it was about."

"What, did you think it was about erections or something?"

Blush returning full-force, the teacher's dark gaze turned away again. "Well, that is... You are at that age... And sometimes young boys get confused, and..."

A sarcastic laugh escaped Quindecim's throat. "I know what makes me hard." Then he narrowed his eyes, twisting a smile. "Do _you_?"

Professor Koe's hands flew to his lap. "That's-!" His eyes darted back and forth, as if looking for somewhere to escape to. "That's beside the matter! Your- Your experiments-!"

"Yeah." Quindecim looked up, off into a corner of the office. His smile faded. "I suppose I should try to recreate the instances in which it happens, but change things."

"Y-Yes." Professor Koe sounded like he was torn between resuming the conversation like normal, or kicking Quindecim out of the office. Or throwing him over the desk. "You can narrow down the reasons by falsifying each hypothesis. That..." His voice fell to a whisper. "That should help."

"I'll give it a try." Then he hopped off the desk, preparing to go. Lunch period was almost over anyway. "Thanks, Professor."

"I- I didn't do anything," Professor Koe said softly. His hands continued to fiddle in his lap. "Since you're so smart."

"You gave me someone to talk it out to; that was a big help." He gave another smile, this one more genuine.

The smile was returned. "Let me know how it goes."

"I will. See ya 'round, Professor."

"It's Mamoru."

Quindecim paused in his retreat, turning back to the teacher, who had risen to his feet. "Hm?"

"You can call me Mamoru." His smile softened as his cheeks warmed pink again. "If we're going to be on a first-name basis."

Quindecim's lip tilted up further. "All right. See you later, Mamoru."

The world immediately seemed louder the moment he stepped from the office, and he longed to turn back to the quiet space at his teacher's side. Students were rushing back to their classrooms, good little boys and girls who wanted to make a show of being a little bit earlier than on time in their return from lunch.

Quindecim didn't run. He was okay with being just on time.

When he got to his classroom, he saw something laying on his desk, and he was instantly wary. Stepping toward the desk cautiously, he got close enough to see that the object was a dead rat.

He stopped, turned his gaze to Brent Katze, who was staring towards the front of the room as if he had no idea what was going on. Totally innocent, except that his lips were turned too far down, trying too hard not to give himself away by laughing.

Quindecim looked up to see Mr. Gate at the front of the room, completely oblivious to the dead animal in the room.

He was on his own, as usual. He would have to do something himself.

For now, he turned and walked out of the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You'll notice this story now features a chapter count! Which means it's officially finished being written~ And let me tell you, it's a trip.  
So, hopefully, I should be able to post chapters at a slightly more regular rate.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	14. Chapter 14

Father scolded him for ditching the first day of classes. He didn't listen when Quindecim told him yet again that he was being harassed and bullied by his classmates. Part of schooling was problem-solving and learning to navigate different social situations. In the real world, Father said, he wouldn't be able to go crying to Daddy whenever things didn't go smoothly, and he couldn't run away or ditch, either. He had to work it out himself.

It was the expected outcome. Quindecim didn't bother pointing out the vast difference between 'crying to Daddy' and a parent taking action when their teenage child was being bullied, any more than he bothered bringing up the homeschooling idea.

So he went to school as ordered, kept his head down and didn't respond to Brent Katze's jabs, and eventually the gang of assholes got mostly bored. The teasing dwindled to offhand comments during lectures instead of attacks between periods, and the occasional pieces of garbage being thrown at him. Quindecim only entered and exited through the school's front doors, where Shadow was only a shout away, the large, black dog easily scaring off the one and only freshman punk who tried to establish himself by picking on a short junior.

Things settled to normal at school, while at home, Quindecim began his 'experiments'.

He'd had success with baths, so he started there. Fully dressed, he locked himself away in the bathroom, making sure Shadow saw him tightly close the door. Moments passed, and nothing happened. Not a whimper nor a scratch to the door. The handle didn't turn. It wasn't much of a surprise; Quindecim often used the bathroom without intrusion.

But Shadow loved water. He liked baths, and liked bathing with Quindecim, so Quindecim moved to the tub and flicked the water on. He didn't bother getting in – not yet, anyway – but simply kept an ear out for some sign that the dog was interested.

It came on a scratch, nails running down the lower length of the door. A lonely whimper carried through, then silence, then the sickness.

It wasn't as bad this time, going even easier than the time before. Whether it was Shadow finding a way to make the process easier or Quindecim's own body adapting, he didn't know, didn't care. He fought through the brief sickness as he walked to the door, and opened it to see the human Shadow standing there on two feet, hand aiming for the doorknob.

For a moment, they simply stood there, staring at each other. Then Quindecim lifted his arms to cup Shadow's cheeks in his hands. "Good boy. Good change." He didn't know if the word would ever catch on.

He took only a second to shut the running bath water off, Shadow following, walking on unsteady feet. Quindecim turned, walking backwards out of the bathroom, commanding "Come" so Shadow would follow. They walked through the bedroom, taking it slowly. Reaching the wardrobe, the black clothes were dug out and Shadow dressed. Quindecim could feel his energy draining, limbs grown heavy by the time Shadow was clothed, but it wasn't as bad as it was the first few times Shadow had changed. He was getting used to it.

They did a few laps around the room, Quindecim moving faster so that Shadow had to rush to stay by his side. When he was sure of the dog's footing and balance, Quindecim moved to the bed, climbing up to sit. Shadow seemed to watch carefully, seemed to study the edge of the bed, and when Quindecim patted the space in front of him, calling, "Come here," he lurched back and forth a couple times, as if testing his maneuverability.

Then he gave a little jump, making it onto the bed, the mattress dipping under his weight. Shadow then pitched forward, sliding onto his back and wiggling his way up to Quindecim for tummy-rubs. Quindecim smiled softly as he obliged, scratching at Shadow's belly over the black tee-shirt. Shadow's tail beat happily against the bed, enjoying the moment, a boy and his dog and yet not.

He tried to judge how much energy he had left and what they could do with it. Not enough to go outside and go for a walk, definitely not enough to try any running, but if they just sat and chilled for a bit, he could last a precious few more moments.

Eyes searching the room, he spotted his cell phone on the desk. He pointed at it, not sure it if would work, but trying a command of "Get it" anyway.

And immediately, Shadow clambered off the bed, stepping over to the desk. He retrieved the phone with his hands, remembering the lesson with the shampoo bottle, and brought it back to Quindecim, once again leaping to get onto the bed.

Quindecim lavished praise, petting and rubbing Shadow's ear as he took the phone. He called up Jin, who was doubtlessly lurking somewhere nearby, but Quindecim didn't feel like shouting for him. When the butler answered, Quindecim requested something to eat; something quick and simple, to be brought right away.

He conserved his energy while they waited, idly petting Shadow's puppy ears and running fingers through his hair. Shadow lay with his head in Quindecim's lap, tail wagging, content. It was quiet and still, just the way Quindecim liked it.

Jin entered the room a short time later, carrying a covered platter, and his eyes widened at the sight before him. Quickly shutting the door behind him, he approached the bed, making Shadow's tail beat faster. "Master Quindecim, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, as you can see."

"How long has he been like this?"

"Not too long," Quindecim answered. "Less than half an hour."

"And your condition...?"

"Is fine." This time his response came out more annoyed than he had intended, though he didn't take it back. "I'm fine. Just a little tired."

Jin watched him for several moments, studying him, and then as if deciding Quindecim wasn't in any immediate danger, his shoulders lowered, the tension leaving him. "Well, at least if you pass out, you're already in bed."

Quindecim gave a short roll of his eyes, even as he snorted the tiniest puff of a laugh. "I've been lasting longer each time," he said next. "I think my body is getting used to it."

"I see," was all Jin replied as he began to set the platter on the bed, only to pull it away again when Shadow lurched for it. Tutting as he wagged a finger, he waited for the dog-in-men's-clothing to sit back again and wait nicely before he set the platter down and uncovered it, revealing a selection of small sandwiches and a bowl of cut chicken for Shadow.

"I want to take him outside sometime," Quindecim stated. "Maybe not in public, not yet anyway, but I want to take him out on the grounds." He picked up a chunk of the chicken and held it up, and Shadow immediately sat properly, though it looked awkward with his human legs. "He's getting so good at walking; I want to see him run." Then he fed Shadow the chicken, watching the piece of meat disappear between lovely, human lips.

Jin's voice wavered, hesitant as he said, "I don't believe that's a good idea. If you were to lose consciousness while out on the grounds..."

"You would find me," Quindecim answered simply.

"Young Master..."

"It's just an idea," he said next, placating. He took up another piece of chicken, this time holding out a hand to 'shake', feeding the prize to Shadow when their hands were clasped together.

Reading a book had gotten Shadow to change once. Trying it purposefully, however, yielded no results. Shadow seemed content to simply lay by his side as a dog, though Quindecim hadn't done anything differently from when it happened before. He wondered if he should add Shadow's mood as a variable to his tests.

If the change happened when Shadow wanted attention, it would be difficult to force. He was such a calm dog, happy just to be near his master and smart enough to get when he couldn't be. He knew he couldn't go into school, so contented himself to sit outside for hours on end; he knew he _could_ join Quindecim in the bath, so cried when he was unable to.

But what else was there?

Finding an old toy that Shadow used to play with as a pup – a stuffed hamburger that had the squeaker torn out of it within a day, not standing a chance against sharp puppy teeth – Quindecim threw it across the room, sending Shadow to chase after it. He threw it again and again, each time Shadow happily running to bring it back, and then he stopped. As Shadow looked on hopefully, waiting for the next throw, Quindecim turned and stopped the game.

He thought that would do it. Get Shadow excited and wanting, then deny him. But instead, Shadow seemed to just accept that play time was over. Sitting by him, Shadow pressed against Quindecim's legs, content.

He tried it with food too, but that yielded much the same result. Shadow just kind of accepted that it wasn't for him. As always, he knew better than to take food that wasn't his.

He had to think. He had to find the thing that would make Shadow want or need to change. And as he stared at the open bathroom door, he realized the greatest incentive – the greatest reward, as far as Shadow was concerned – was himself.

Shadow was content as long as he was by Quindecim's side.

Standing, Quindecim instructed "Come" as he strode into the bathroom. Shadow quickly jumped from the bed, trotting into the bathroom and immediately standing in front of the tub, tail wagging.

Quindecim about-faced, turning on his heel and exiting the room again. He shut the door behind him, trapping Shadow inside, and then he waited.

Several moments passed and Quindecim could hear Shadow's nails clicking on the bathroom floor, pacing several laps between the bathtub and the door. Then Shadow whimpered something sad and lonely, scratching at the door. He must have been so confused.

"Shadow, come," Quindecim called, and after a second of silence where he could perfectly picture the dog's head tilting, the whimpering came louder, more urgent. "Shadow, come."

Nails tapped incessantly on the tiled bathroom floor, anxious pacing, whimpering, scratching. When it fell silent again, Quindecim grinned. He had won, in a way. Conquered the first battle, anyway.

He panted through the wave of nausea and the drop of energy, waiting, waiting. His heart thumped when the bathroom door's handle began to turn, knowing what he would see, eager for it. Then the door opened, presenting that handsome face, and Quindecim called again.

"Shadow, come."

Shadow scurried over on quick steps, tongue hanging out of his mouth and dick flopping back and forth. As soon as he stood before Quindecim, he dropped to a sit, waiting for another command or somewhere to follow.

Quindecim raised his hand. "Up." And once Shadow was standing again, he led him over to the wardrobe. He had started keeping Shadow's clothes closer to the front.

Dressing Shadow had become easier, the dog starting to understand what needed to be done. He could pull the black tee-shirt over his own head when Quindecim handed it to him, only needing some help feeding his arms through the sleeve holes. He stepped into the jeans automatically, patiently waiting for Quindecim to pull up and fasten them, threading his tail through the hole that had been cut in back. Perhaps someday Shadow would be able to dress himself completely, though Quindecim wouldn't have been bothered if he never did. Dressing Shadow would never become a chore; it was another thing for them to do together.

After slipping his own shoes on, he called another soft, "Come," and led Shadow to the door, snatching up the stuffed hamburger along the way. He estimated, based on how he was feeling before the change and how long he had lasted the most recent time, he probably had about forty-five minutes before the exhaustion overtook him. Provided nothing happened, it should have been enough time to go out and run around for a bit, then come back inside for a nap. So, after a cursory glance up and down the hallway outside his room, Quindecim silently slipped out the bedroom door, hoping for once that Jin wasn't too nearby, ready to make himself available.

With Shadow at his heel, he navigated the hallways, taking an out-of-the-way staircase, where they would be less likely to run into any house staff, to the ground floor, hoping to get out completely unnoticed. While he could attempt to claim Shadow was a friend from school if anyone encountered them sneaking through the mansion, it was pretty common knowledge that Quindecim didn't have any friends, and it would likely send the gossip train full speed ahead if he suddenly brought someone over. He didn't need that and all the questions that would arise from it getting back to Father.

He didn't breathe easy until they were outside in the lingering summer warmth, far enough away that the house was just a speck. Everything in him eased, and a tiny smile found its way to his lips.

It wasn't like he was very active himself, but Quindecim wanted to see what Shadow could do with this new body of his. He wanted to see Shadow run and jump. He wanted to see this Shadow play. So, after a glance over his shoulder to make sure Shadow was still following close behind, he started to walk faster, building up to a jog. He looked again to see Shadow keeping up, stride a bit lopsided, but managing to stay upright.

He moved faster, breaking into a run. Shadow kept up with him despite his strange gait, his arms flailing like he didn't know what to do with them. It was a funny-looking run, making Quindecim laugh out loud until he eventually had to stop running to catch his breath.

"Oh my god, you're ridiculous," Quindecim said between panting breaths, voice full of fondness and affection. And though it wasn't like a dog could understand human speech, Shadow must have understood the fondness in Quindecim's voice, as he sprung forward to press his head against Quindecim's shoulder.

Quindecim lifted a hand to scratch through Shadow's hair, then took a step back, putting space between them. He held up the plush hamburger, waving it around a bit as he said, "Ready?" Then he threw the toy as far as he could, calling out, "Go get it!" as he did.

Shadow took off after the toy, his run more like a prance, bouncing as he moved. He retrieved the hamburger with his hands, which seemed to give him something better to do with his arms as he ran back to deliver it to Quindecim. He was just as enthusiastic to get it the second time it was thrown as well, and each time thereafter, his stride becoming a little more stable, a little more normal, every time he ran to fetch. Like the doorhandle and walking and getting onto the bed, he was figuring out how the different body worked, and Quindecim felt _proud_ of his smart boy.

They played a few more rounds, until Quindecim was sure Shadow was stable on his feet. Then he tried some commands – turn around, roll over, play dead – all of which were followed promptly. When he commanded "Jump," Shadow only took a moment of careful – thoughtful – bending and flexing his knees before he jumped straight up in the air.

"Good boy," Quindecim cooed, happy to lavish praise on his perfect pup. He couldn't keep his hands away from the soft, black hair, rubbing angel-soft, folded ears. His Shadow deserved all the pettings, all the treats, all the doggie cupcakes in the world.

Stepping away, he held the stuffed hamburger up again, waving and shaking it, getting Shadow excited and ready to play again. He threw, Shadow fetched, they played. Shadow's face in this form, as a human, never showed much expression, like he didn't know how and it didn't come naturally, but he somehow managed to radiate happiness anyway. His body language, the way his tail wagged and how he bobbed from foot to foot after delivering the toy to Quindecim, anxious for the next throw, little signs that Shadow was enjoying their time together, no matter what body he was in.

Quindecim threw, Shadow fetched, and then Shadow fell.

It came with a loud yelp, plunging forward. Shadow hit the ground hard, landing shoulder first, crying out again and sending Quindecim running. Shadow's leg twitched as Quindecim flew to his side, and he continued to whimper softly in pain as Quindecim began running hands over him.

"What's wrong? What happened?" The words were mostly to himself, a response impossible, no matter how human Shadow looked. He took hold of Shadow's twitching leg, holding it still so he could touch and inspect every inch of it, all the while issuing soft "Shh"s in the most soothing voice he could muster.

He found the problem lodged into the bottom of Shadow's foot.

Without any kind of footwear, Shadow had been running around bare-foot. He must have stepped onto the small stick that was now half imbedded in the ball of his foot hard; it was stuck fast, no space to even bleed from. Quindecim touched the stick and Shadow whimpered, and for a moment his mind raced, wondering what the best course of action was.

"Change," he commanded. Maybe if Shadow reverted, the stick would fall out during the transformation. Maybe as he shrunk, human feet becoming dog paws, it would dislodge and fall away, nowhere else to go. "_Change_." But just as it didn't work to make him turn human, Shadow's form didn't change. He still didn't understand the order.

Shadow just whimpered in pain, breaking his heart.

He couldn't walk like this, and they couldn't call a doctor or even a vet, couldn't risk anyone finding out Shadow wasn't normal. So Quindecim took a deep breath, held it, and wrapped his fingers around the stick.

He exhaled sharply as he yanked the stick out, bracing himself against the distressed yelp Shadow gave. He sneered at the offending stick, covered crimson in Shadow's blood, before he threw it to the ground. It was out, it was done, it was Quindecim's own fault for bringing Shadow outside. His own thoughtlessness, and as usual, Shadow had to pay the price.

The wounded foot bled, but Quindecim made no attempt to stop it. It would heal itself – was healing already – and would probably be a good thing to let any remaining bits of wood flow out anyway. Shadow continued to whimper, bending as if to lick his wound but unable to reach. Quindecim wrapped arms around his neck, laying the both of them down as he cooed and soothed in a soft voice. He could feel the energy being taken from him, Shadow's body taking his life to heal itself. It was fine; Shadow could have as much of him as he needed.

He closed his eyes, resting. It was a small wound, and wouldn't take much. He could recover with a nap. Just a short rest, here in the warm, open air, his arms and Shadow's wrapped around each other.

He opened his eyes in his room, Shadow curled into a ball of black fur beside him. Immediately, he sat up, Shadow following suit, and grabbed the dog's rear paw, pointless as it was. Completely healed, as expected. He let Shadow's paw go, setting Shadow free to lean up and press his muzzle against Quindecim's cheek. Quindecim returned the kiss, pressing his lips to Shadow's own cheek before wrapping arms around him and leaning against him, as content with just being with Shadow as Shadow was being with him.

Slowly waking from the nap, his eyes landed on his desk chair, where he found a small pile of clothes, including a pair of used, black boots.

"So your hypothesis was correct?"

"Basically," Quindecim answered, taking the cup of hot tea that Professor Koe offered him. "I was right that at least part of why what happens happens is because the other party wants or needs to do something with me."

"What... kind of something?"

"Anything," Quindecim replied. When a sugar bowl was held up to him, he took the little spoon laying on the saucer beside his teacup, stirring in two small servings. "Whatever I'm doing, they want to do it with me. And if they can't, then this..." He gestured with his spoon. "This _phenomenon_ happens so that they can."

Professor Koe's cheeks were pink, a soft smile touching his lip. He hadn't moved away after offering the sugar, still standing close, the bowl held in long fingers. "They must like you very much." Then his smile pulled up further, chuckling lightly. "Though I still have no idea what this could possibly be about."

Quindecim gave a smile of his own. "And you never will."

"Is this 'other party' a... a girl?"

"It's a boy."

Professor Koe stood close enough that Quindecim could feel the man's muscles tense up at the admission. "O-Oh..." he stammered, reaching a hasty hand up to adjust his glasses before clutching the sugar bowl again, as if the small piece of ceramic grounded him. "A boy... friend?"

"Just a boy."

"I- I see." The teacher drew closer, though he didn't seem to notice as he did so. His thighs pressed against Quindecim's knees, even as his gaze turned away.

"Now if I could just get him to do it on command."

"O-on... command?"

Quindecim's eyes narrowed as his smile twisted. "Yes. Usually he's so good about following my orders, but this time he just doesn't seem to get it."

The lump growing in Professor Koe's pants pushed against Quindecim's knee, as though the very thought of being ordered around by a young boy had its attention. The man was warm, heat radiating off of him, face flushed and timid and aroused. He was so different than the Professor in Quindecim's fantasies, but no less lovely.

"How about you, _Mamoru_?" Quindecim asked, voice going low. "Are you good at following orders?"

"M-Me?"

He gave a soft chuckle. "Yes, you."

"I- I..." His groin ground against Quindecim's knee, seeking friction, seeking release. It was a subconscious little movement that turned Quindecim on with how mindlessly _needy_ it was. To be so wanted- It was a thrill.

Without warning, Quindecim suddenly spread his legs, gracefully moving his teacup out of the way as the older man fell in between. Their erections bumped against each other, drawing gasps, and the sugar bowl dropped from Professor Koe's fingers as his hands flew to the desk Quindecim sat on, grasping the dark wood on either side of Quindecim's hips.

Quindecim leaned up, whispering close to Professor Koe's lips. "Well?"

Eyes wide and terrified and blazing with need, Professor Koe's mouth worked silently a few beats before he finally stammered out, "I would follow your orders."

Something fluttered in Quindecm's gut; his stomach squeezed in a way that made him pause, but only for a moment. He gave another chuckle, low and seductive, and felt the shudder it sent though the teacher's body. His legs wrapped around Professor Koe's waist as he lifted his hand to bring the teacup to his lips, casual in his debauchery of an innocent man.

"Quindecim..." Professor Koe whimpered.

"I'm a virgin, you know." He nearly laughed at the desperate need that darkened the teacher's eyes, but hid his grin behind the teacup. "My family values purity, so I have to keep it until I'm married. Isn't that strange?"

"N-No," Professor Koe stammered. "It's a good value to have." His hips turned barely-there rotations, brushing his erection over Quindecim's crotch.

"I'm glad you think so." Though nobody in the family ever specified how far 'purity' extended. Mouths must have been okay. So Quindecim leaned up, bringing his face closer to the blushing teacher's. "You'll protect mine, won't you? _Mamoru_?"

Another whimper escaped Professor Koe's throat and he gave a stuttered nod. When Quindecim leaned in closer, his lips parted, dropping open slightly as if expecting a taste of something. His eyes widened minutely behind his glasses when the teacup Quindecim held was pushed against his mouth, tilted forward. He took a drink, and Quindecim smiled, pleased.

Setting the teacup down on the desk, Quindecim squeezed his legs around Professor Koe's waist, pulling the teacher closer to him. He was just as hard as the man pressing against him, and the pressure of their erections pushing against each other had a gasp catching in his throat. His hands slid their way up Professor Koe's chest, reaching his shoulders and holding on as he raised up further, drawing their lips closer together.

A scream sounded from outside the office, a piercing girl's voice that invaded their little world and shattered the crystal wall of desire they had built up inside. It was with a huff that Quindecim turned a glare towards the wooden door, until more screams and more voices came through. He couldn't hear everything, but catching shouts of "man!" and "naked!" had him moving away, as much as his dick protested the loss of friction.

"I think it's time for me to go, Professor." He had forgotten that arousal traveled through his and Shadow's link. "Class will be resuming soon." He would probably be skipping again. "Thank you for the tea."

"A-anytime," Professor Koe replied, sounding like it was a struggle to find his voice. "Please!" He stepped forward to follow Quindecim to the door. "Please... Visit again, any time you'd like."

Quindecim gave his sweet, cutesy smile. "I will."

The lovestruck gaze that followed him out the door would stay in his mind for a while.


	15. Chapter 15

Purity was a joke. It shouldn't matter to anyone else what he did with his dick. It was natural to want sex, to want to lay with someone he found attractive, to want to spread his legs wide and accept someone he liked to thrust into him. It was normal to want to be fucked; he knew that.

But it had been drilled into his head his entire life – purity is sacred, something to hold on to. Purity is for the betrothed. They had their reasons – history and wars fought over scorned love, groups and families torn apart by unchecked lust – though he questioned if they upheld the rule because of logic, or for the sake of control. It was tradition, and even if he was skeptical, it was difficult to overcome the idea.

Purity was a good value to have – even Professor Koe thought so.

Quindecim groaned as he gripped himself tighter, remembering the way his teacher's groin felt pressed against his own. It had been so hard and thick, craving Quindecim's body, flushed and full with desire. And that face! How desperate the man was for him, so crystal clearly dying inside, killing himself over his lust for a young boy. Just picturing it was almost enough to make him come right then, but he held on a little longer, wanting to indulge in the fantasy a little more.

He pulled himself up to his knees, planting one hand on the bed while the other stayed wrapped around his cock. The thin bedsheet stayed draped over him, a coy cover, teasing the fantasy lover who wasn't there. Maybe Professor Koe would take him like this, pounding into him from behind like animals, enveloping Quindecim's smaller body in his long, graceful arms. Maybe he would slide an arm around Quindecim's waist to take hold of his dick, creating a tight hole for Quindecim to thrust into, as he did with his own hand right then. And maybe Quindecim would demand the teacher fuck him harder – _harder_ – and Professor Koe would do it, following his orders despite their difference in age and status, slamming into his body until Quindecim's hips were battered and bruised.

He breathed in panting breaths, punctuated by loud moans, so, so close to release.

And then a heavy weight landed on his back, tearing the fantasy away from him. His right hand dropped to the bed to hold himself up, leaving his erection bobbing and leaking and aching. He was pushed forward as canine hips began thrusting against his ass.

"Shadow, no!" Not that Shadow was one to listen when he was like this. Even when he had changed at school the other day, running down the halls with his dick bouncing around, he hadn't listened to Quindecim's command to stay down and change back. He'd had to drag Shadow into a bathroom and splash him with cold water before the heavy erection faded away.

His own cock throbbed, remembering how hot and hard Shadow had been then, aching and- _damn_, it was _not_ the time to be thinking about that. He was already too out of his mind.

"Get _down_!" he ordered as he sat up on his knees, prompting Shadow to slide off of him. "_Down_!" He jabbed a finger towards the floor, and for once, Shadow listened.

Left alone, left panting, the interruption hadn't made Quindecim's erection flag at all. He still ached, still craved release, and after a moment of trying to fight it off, he gave in, slowly wrapping his hand around his cock once more. There was a twinge in his gut as he slowly began to pump himself again, but he ignored it, ignored everything but the building pleasure in his groin.

The weight came again, heavier this time, a shape that fit against him more perfectly. Human hands slid around his waist, planting on his hips, pulling him close and holding him in place. A human dick pressed into the cleft of his ass, skin separated from skin by nothing more than the thin, white sheet.

"Shadow, d-don't..." His voice barely came out; his hand didn't move at all. He had to get Shadow off of him, had to shoo him away, but he was quickly losing control of himself. This was what he had wanted, what his body had been craving. To be touched by someone else; to get fucked, or at least an illusion thereof.

Shadow pushed against him, thrusting his hips against Quindecim's ass. The length of his erection ground into his crevice, against his hole, and slid against his balls, driving Quindecim absolutely insane.

His hand moved again, sliding over his cock, drawing out pleasure and little moans that matched the gasps Shadow gave in a strangely human voice. He tightened his grip around himself, pumping faster to match Shadow's thrusts. Shadow's hands on his hips were warm, grounding him, holding him, needing and wanting him. Quindecim felt every inch of where their bodies pressed together through the sheet, felt every puff of Shadow's breath across his back. It all lit his nerves on fire.

A hard push shoved Quindecim's face to the bed, though he didn't have the wherewithal to right himself. He didn't think about how he must have looked, with his ass up in the air, being bred by a hound dog in heat. He didn't think about how it was _Shadow_ he was doing this with, not even human, though his body was nothing but at the moment. He couldn't think about anything but the heat and the pleasure that consumed him.

Then the world disappeared from under him. He cried out when he came, muffled by the mattress his face pressed into. His hand squeezed tighter around his cock, milking himself of cum, of release, soiling the sheets beneath him even as he felt wetness seep through the one draped over him.

He breathed. Breathed. Coming back down to Earth, his mind came back fuzzy as his hips lowered to the bed.

That was the best jerkoff of his life, and he was exhausted.

He rested against the pillow, prompting Shadow to crawl up over him and snuggle his face into the crook of Quindecim's neck. Quindecim turned to his side, pulling on Shadow's arm until they were lying side-by-side. Shadow leaned in and kissed him on the lips, and without thinking, Quindecim kissed him back. Just a press of soft lips against each other, but it felt nice.

It was far too late to reprimand Shadow for jumping on him, and as he closed his eyes to rest, naked and filthy, he really wasn't sure that he wanted to.

The request for a date came through Father once again. Quindecim had almost forgotten Isabelle Corvid existed, much less that she was supposed to be his girlfriend or something. He had been so involved with Shadow – with his "experiments" – he hadn't given a thought to Father's plan for his future and what he needed to do to see that plan through.

The date was for the city's Fall Festival, a celebration of the season finally changing. Quindecim vaguely remembered being taken with his mother when he was very little, though the memories were fragments, possibly dreams or some other false, concocted images. When he was older, he went with Unum and Jin, a younger and smaller Shadow by his side, and he clearly remembered the scents of stall food and the burst of the fireworks that lit up the sky when the festival came to a close in the evening.

He was weary of what kind of fireworks and memories would be made this time. At least dogs were allowed.

Isabelle's security detail was there; Quindecim had Jin. The old butler wouldn't likely insert himself or interfere, only there to attend to Quindecim's needs if he had any. Dressed more casually than usual so to not draw attention, Jin walked several paces behind, close enough that Quindecim could call for him if he needed money or a handkerchief or moral support, but far enough away that it wouldn't be hard to forget about him completely.

Shadow did not keep any sort of distance. He gave Isabelle little more than a sniff and a snort when she held a hand out to him, then pressed himself to Quindecim's leg, keeping an eye out, but otherwise uninterested in his surroundings.

"He's more of a cat than a dog," Isabelle said with a light laugh as she straightened back up and looked to Quindecim. "You're his One." She smiled; Quindecim shrugged; they began to walk.

The festival hadn't changed since he was a kid, same lights and lanterns and food stalls. Music played from here and there, and though the blocked-off streets were crawling with people, every now and then the crowds would break for troupes of drummers and dancers to pass through. Children ran and screamed, charging into people without a care while their parents stared at their phones or browsed carts of handmade goods.

Conversation was stilted, as always. Quindecim wasn't one for chatting; Isabelle commented on the things they saw, but didn't press for more from him. As the night wore on, she seemed to walk closer to him, her shoulder brushing his, hands bumping against each other, as if the ambient lighting of the lanterns meant it was time for more romantic ambitions. She made a point of smiling fondly at the scampering children and whispering "Cute" when a little girl in pigtails danced by carrying a sparkler, though she had never shown any real interest in kids before. It was as if she were trying to subtly make sure Quindecim knew she wasn't averse to breeding – like she were in on the plan.

They had been silent for a bit, Quindecim looking at a leather dog collar with a bell on it in one of the merchant carts, when he felt a hand touch his arm. He looked to see Isabelle smiling at him. "Is this okay?" she asked as she slid the hand around to hold his elbow like a lady.

Unable to think of a reason to refuse, Quindecim gave a delayed nod.

"Did they ever find that intruder who broke into your room?" she then asked gently, as if aware it was – or was _supposed to_ be – a delicate topic, given the way he had acted before.

"Oh..." Quindecim looked at Shadow, who looked back up and panted a smile. "Yeah... It turned out to be one of my cousins playing a prank on me."

Isabelle chuckled. "I see. Well, at least you aren't in danger."

Quindecim shrugged. "Now I feel stupid for how scared I was." That was true, at least.

Shaking her head in disagreement, Isabelle said, "It's natural to be weary of the unknown. If anything, it was cruel of your cousin to play tricks on you like that."

"I don't think he understood what he was doing," he replied in Shadow's defense, even if he was the only one between them who knew it was Shadow he was talking about.

Isabelle's smile deepened. "You're very understanding. I bet you'll make a good father one day." Then before Quindecim had a chance to react or respond, her hand slid down to intertwine her fingers with his, pulling him along as she said, "Oh, did you hear? Our alpha female is going to have pups. It's a little off season, but that's not unheard of in captivity." She turned her gaze to him, looking through long lashes. "I hope you can visit the babies when they're born."

"Yeah, okay," Quindecim answered. "I-"

He felt a twinge in his stomach. That's all it was now, but it was enough to make him stop in his tracks and look down with wide eyes.

Shadow's fur was starting to recede, his muzzle growing shorter. He was changing.

Quindecim wrenched his hand away from Isabelle's and quickly bent to scoop up Shadow in his arms. The dog wasn't light – was growing heavier by the minute – but they had to get out of there. They had to run; they had to find somewhere secluded before anyone saw the transformation. Adrenaline and desperation gave him the strength he needed to carry Shadow through the crowds of festival-goers, searching frantic for somewhere – anywhere – to hide.

He raced between buildings as Shadow's body lengthened, the sounds of the festival fading as he got further from the celebration. He kept going, further into a maze of alleys, until Shadow was too heavy and awkward to carry any more. By the time he had dragged Shadow to the other side of a garbage dumpster, he was more man than dog, and Quindecim was exhausted. He sat on the dirty ground, and watched.

It was the first time he had actually seen the transformation, seen Shadow's limbs stretch to human proportions while his face rearranged itself and most of his teeth flattened. It was fascinating – it was beautiful.

As soon as the change was complete, Shadow lunged at Quindecim, grabbing his wrist. Holding up Quindecim's hand, Shadow slid their fingers together until they were clasped tightly. His tail wagged happily behind him.

"Is this what you wanted?" Quindecim asked softly, though he wouldn't get an answer. Then he lifted their clasped hands and squeezed as he said, "_Change_."

Shadow's tail continued to wag, until Quindecim pulled his hand away. As those piss-yellow eyes watched carefully, Quindecim flexed his fingers, repeating, "Change."

Head tilting a moment, Shadow then moved to clasp their hands again, but Quindecim pulled his hand out of the way.

"Ah, ah," he admonished. Then he brought his hand forward again, flexing his fingers once more. "Change."

Shadow stared for a stretched length of time, but he seemed to be considering, thinking. And then he began to change again. The black fur grew out, his chin extended, his nose blackened. In minutes, a dog once again sat there, and Quindecim lavished praise on him.

"Good boy!" He ruffled Shadow's floppy ears and pet his soft head, voice full of affection and pride. "Good change!" Then he held up his hand and flexed his fingers again. "Change."

And Shadow changed again, becoming human once more and immediately lunging to intertwine his fingers with Quindecim's.

"Good boy!" Quindecim squeezed their clasped hands as he buried the fingers of his free hand into Shadow's hair. "You're such a smart boy."

He gave the command twice more, and by the time Shadow was dog and then human again, Quindecim was sure he had it.

He was also so exhausted, he could hardly lift his hand to give pettings.

Shadow watched him carefully, as he often did, and though Quindecim gave him a wan smile, Shadow seemed to decide on his own that it was enough, that he had taken too much. He changed back to his canine form, then moved up to snuggle against his master's chest.

"Good boy," Quindecim said again, softly this time. He scratched at Shadow's hindquarters, but then the loud clanking of a tin can being kicked had his head shooting up.

A man stumbled out of an intersecting alley, eyes wide and terrified, cell phone held up, obviously recording. "Holy shit, man," the guy said as he stumbled back, as if desperate to put distance between himself and them. "Holy fuck, that dog just turned into a human and back again. Holy _shit_."

Quindecim climbed to his feet, bracing himself against the wall to do so. His heart thudded rapidly. He had been careless, so excited to finally teach Shadow a new trick. "Delete it," he ordered in a low voice.

"What the fuck is that thing, man? That's not a normal dog."

Quindecim's teeth clenched, practically snarling. "_Delete it_."

"This is _crazy_."

"Delete the damn video!"

The guy backed away further. "No way, man. Nobody will believe me unless I show them."

Quindecim began to move toward the man. He couldn't let anyone see, couldn't let anyone know. If that video got out, Shadow would be taken from him. He couldn't risk that. He didn't know what he could do or if he stood a chance stopping the guy, but he had to try. He had to do _something_. "Look," he started, taking another step forward. "I have money. A _lot_ of money. Name your price."

"Nah, man, I don't need your money." The guy moved further away, turning his body as if preparing to run, though his phone stayed trained on Quindecim and Shadow. "If I just discovered a mutant or an alien or something, I'll be famous."

Quindecim's hands rolled into fists. "If that gets out, you'll regret it. I promise."

The man listed back, smirked, and then took off running down the alley.

"Stop!" But it wasn't like the man would, and it wasn't like Quindecim could go running after him in his condition – wouldn't have stood a chance even if he weren't wiped out. But he couldn't let the guy get away; his face would be clear on the video; someone would recognize him and Shadow for sure. He couldn't let Shadow be taken away.

Slowly, he raised a trembling finger and pointed at the fleeing man. His voice was soft as he gave the command.

"Get it."

Shadow took off after the man, giving chase at full speed. The man looked behind, toward the sound of nails scraping on concrete. He gave a shout, sped up, but a human could never outrun a four-legged animal. In seconds, Shadow had caught up with his prey, lunged, caught a jaw-full of the man's jacket and wrenched him to the ground, pulling the guy right off his feet. The man struggled to get back onto his feet, but every inch he rose saw him pulled down, Shadow shaking his head to keep the guy off balance as he began to drag him back to where Quindecim stood.

Starting to fight back, the guy twisted to try and throw a punch at the dog. Shadow dodged it easily, letting the jacket go to seize the chance to grab the guy's arm, sinking teeth into the crook of the man's elbow.

"Mother fucker!" the man yelled, trying to shove Shadow off, trying to punch and kick at the black monster who held him. Shadow shook his head again, hard enough to dislocate joints, causing the man to scream out in pain.

And when the opportunity presented itself, Shadow released the man's arm and went for the throat.

The man flailed his remaining good arm, somehow still holding on to his phone, but when the blow connected, hitting Shadow hard in the side, Shadow just growled, his death-grip tightening. Quindecim saw the guy's hand go for Shadow's jaw, but whatever it was he was trying to do – be it force the mouth open or knock the dog's teeth out – he failed, his efforts growing weaker and weaker.

Shadow resumed dragging the man's floundering body, fetching as he had been ordered to do, until he had brought the prize back to his master's feet. The man was still alive, still breathing through the grip on his throat, and he turned terrified eyes up to Quindecim.

Without saying anything, Quindecim lowered to his knees and plucked the cell phone from the man's hand. It was still on, still recording – that made things so much easier. "You should have just listened," he said as he stopped the video and deleted it. Then he deleted the entire photos and videos folder as well, for good measure. "It would have made everything easier for the both of us."

The guy made a pathetic, terrified sound, and Shadow's jaws tightened as if in warning.

Poking around the sides of the phone, Quindecim found where the SIM card was inserted, and plucked that out as well, dropping it to the ground and crushing it under his shoe. If the guy had any precious memories or important contacts on there, he just lost them all. Too bad. At least Quindecim was nice enough not to destroy the phone entirely, instead snapping it shut loudly.

"Drop it," Quindecim commanded next, and Shadow let the man go and stepped back. Teeth marks dotted the man's skin, but blood hadn't been drawn. Then Quindecim tossed the phone back at the guy, the movement taking up the last of his energy. He was going to pass out soon. "You have fifteen seconds to get out of here before I sic him on you again."

Despite the battering he had taken, the guy managed to climb to his feet again, his good arm holding his dislocated elbow in place.

"And remember," Quindecim added. "If you tell _anyone_ about what you saw, we will sniff you out and tear your throat out."

The man's eyes were wide and wild, believing every word, fearing for his life. He took slow steps back, until Quindecim snapped, "Get out!" Then he took off running, having not even bothered to grab his phone off the ground. Quindecim watched him go, then fell back to plop his butt onto the ground and rest against the red-brick wall beside him.

Shadow pressed against him, whimpering in worry as Quindecim's eyes slowly slipped closed. He pressed his nose under Quindecim's chin, snuggling into his neck. Quindecim mustered a soft smile, and he whispered.

"Good boy."


	16. Chapter 16

The cold came very suddenly. His hand quested out along the bed, though his eyes stayed shut. He had gotten enough sleep, but could absolutely sleep more if given the opportunity.

He wasn't being given the opportunity.

A twinkling chuckle sounded, and a hand caught his. Quindecim expected to see Shadow in his human form, wanting to wake with him or play with him. It was only when his eyes slid open and he saw Unum smiling down at him that he realized how silly that was. Shadow had never changed while Quindecim was asleep – it was possible he was unable to.

"Wake up, sleepyhead," Unum grinned, far too cheerful for... whatever time it was.

"No," Quindecim replied, staring up at his brother with sleepy eyes. "It's Sunday; I don't have to."

"Oh, but you do. Right?" Unum looked at Shadow, who looked back up at him with adoring eyes. They were in cahoots, right down to Shadow following suit when Unum planted his hands on the bed and began shaking the mattress, calling, "Wake up! Wake up!"

Quindecim sat up with a loud, exasperated huff. Clearly, he wasn't going back to sleep. "Don't teach him that," he grumbled, pushing Shadow's paws off the bed as he did so.

Unum laughed as he reached up to ruffle the shorter side of Quindecim's hair, but his smile slowly fell as his hand slid down to cup Quindecim's chin, the other hand coming up to join it on the opposite side. He silently gazed for a moment, studying Quindecim's face, and then he said quietly, "Grandfather is here."

Quindecim jerked back reflexively. "Oh." Silence, just a beat. "Why?"

Unum's hands found their way into Quindecim's hair again, petting vain attempts to soothe. He finally answered, "To test you."

His heart seemed to thud heavily, even though he sat stock-still. Then he reached up to push Unum's hands away. "What if-"

"You'll be fine."

"You don't know that."

"I do," Unum replied, reaching to cup Quindecim's face again. "Believe me."

Quindecim's eyes slid away, a pout that only his beloved brother ever saw pulling at his lip. He had reason to worry – so many reasons – but there was nothing he could do about it now. He had to believe Unum, because the only other option was to run away and never look back.

So, slowly, he gave a nod.

Unum's smile came back, softer this time. Gentle protectiveness warmed his eyes, and then he leaned in to push a kiss to Quindecim's lips. A comfort. "We'll be okay." And once Quindecim nodded again, Unum stood up straight. "We need to be in Father's office at the hour. Would you like me to send Jin in?"

Quindecim sulked at the lack of his brother's warmth, or perhaps it was at the lack of time to take even a shower. "Yes."

Smile pulling up, Unum stepped towards the bedroom door. "All right. Dress nicely."

"I know," Quindecim replied after the door had closed.

He was up and mostly cleaned up when Jin came in. The older man's eyes were a stormy mix of anger, fear, and relief. Quindecim got the jump on him with, "I'm fine."

"I found you in a back alley," Jin pointed out. "Miss Isabelle was confused and upset."

"What did you tell her?"

Jin stared at him for a long moment, looking as though he expected Quindecim to figure it out for himself. But then he smiled at last. "I told her Master Shadow had been suffering from diarrhea, and you were bravely attempting to keep a mess from being made at the festival."

Quindecim puffed a laugh steeped in sarcasm, but he didn't give any other response. Jin had turned away and headed for the wardrobe when his voice finally came, saying, "Watch." When Jin turned back with a brow raised in question, Quindecim lifted his hand toward Shadow, flexed his fingers, and commanded, "Change."

Shadow's head went down as the black fur began to recede into his skin. His back arched as his forearms stretched, toes lengthening into human fingers. His hips rounded as his legs stretched and straightened, human toes wiggling as if getting used to them again. When he brought his head up again, he had a human face.

Jin's eyes had gone wide, his neatly-clipped moustache pulling down in the depth of his frown. All he managed to whisper out was a quiet, "Young Master..."

"He can do it on command now," Quindecim said plainly, though there was something like pride beating in his chest. As soon as the transformation was complete, Shadow jumped up to interlock their fingers together.

"Then I recommend you command him not to do it at all anymore." Jin's voice was both gentle and strict somehow.

Eyes darting to the side, Quindecim gave a slow shrug. "It just... might be useful someday."

Jin studied him a moment, hazel eyes searching for something. Then his expression softened. "Master Quindecim... Is he not good enough as a dog?"

Quindecim's brows met in a scowl, though guilt squeezed his heart until it hurt. "Of course he is," he said defensively. It was a dog who had been his best friend for the past eight years; it was a dog he gave his soul up for. This new form was just... something different.

That's all.

Quindecim raised his hand again, had Shadow change back into his canine form. Jin was just being overprotective. "What should I wear?" he asked to change the topic.

A heavy moment of silence, and then Jin turned back to the wardrobe.

He remembered going through the test before, back when Unum was his age. At some point in their sixteenth year, everyone was tested, and all members of the family unit did it together in a pointless show of solidarity.

Unum waited outside Father's office, soft smile on his lips while his eyes continued to hold his promise. _We'll be alright. Believe me._ No words passed between them, there wasn't anything to say, and they entered the room together after Lucrezia opened the door.

Grandfather sat comfortably on one of the office's fine leather couches, a servant on each side. His hands folded with careful grace in his lap, the blue heirloom ring a heavy weight that he wielded effortlessly. Father stood nearby, Edmunt mere feet behind him. Unum, Quindecim, and Shadow together all approached and graced Grandfather with deep bows, then turned and bowed to Father as well. Then Unum left Quindecim's side, abandoning him to take his place by Father.

"Quindecim, my boy," Grandfather said. Though he smiled, Quindecim couldn't tell what he was thinking. The thought processes of his family's older generations were something he could never untangle. "Our youngest is no longer a child. How have you been?"

"I've been well, Grandfather," Quindecim replied, keeping his voice adequately respectful.

"Good to hear."

Then Grandfather waved a hand, sending the servants out of the room. Quindecim didn't move, his sensibility overpowering his desire to run to Jin and demand he stay. When only the four of them remained, Father and Unum returned to stand before Grandfather with Quindecim.

Grandfather looked up at them, his face calm, his sophisticated features breathing wisdom and a surety born from strict adherence to tradition. "Do you attest to this boy's purity?" he asked, voice gone cold with formality.

"I do," Father answered, putting his own honor on the line.

"I do," Unum echoed.

Grandfather nodded. "Then, let us put your purity to the test."

Head held high, chest puffed with confidence, Father stepped forward first. Feet planted shoulder-width apart, he stood proud, having gone through this test plenty of times before. As entrenched in tradition as anyone, Father saw nothing unusual in Grandfather's hand reaching up to run along the front of his expensive slacks. He didn't flinch in the slightest when Grandfather grabbed his dick over the cloth and held him firmly, watching carefully, though they all knew what the outcome would be.

The deep blue ring didn't change at all, not a twinkle or a glimmer, not a single spark of purity. It was expected of a father of two.

Grandfather's hand pulled away, and Father stepped back. Unum took his place, a line of careful determination creasing his brow. He had to accept this, today and in a few months following. In the further future, he would be the one performing this test. Touching his family members, assessing their purity – it would become a ritual of his life, and his shoulders straightened with that knowledge as Grandfather's hand moved forward.

He only gave a bare twitch when Grandfather's fingers wrapped around his dick. For a moment, even Quindecim held his breath, an irrational flare of jealousy simmering in his stomach. But then the ring began to glow, its deep blue color lighting up from within. There was a warmth to the glow, the purity radiating like blue fire. Quindecim found himself smiling as the warm light of the ring heated his heart – Unum was still his, his precious brother, for now.

Grandfather smiled up at Unum. "You've done well for your betrothed."

Quindecim's smile fell and he turned his head away.

Unum's voice was low as he said, "Thank you, Grandfather."

And then it was Quindecim's turn. He was only eleven years old when he experienced the test before, yet he clearly remembered his grandfather's fingers on him, touching him, curling around his pre-pubescent cock. It was tradition, they assured him. Look how beautifully the purity shines. He was only slightly older when he figured out that other families didn't test each other's virginity status. Some didn't care at all when their children became sexually active, so long as they were being safe about it.

But then, those families didn't have an heirloom ring that glowed with warmth and wonder. Maybe their purity wasn't worth protecting.

His family never clarified what would or wouldn't cost Quindecim his purity, and despite Unum's assurances, a feeling of dread rose within him as Grandfather's hand reached for him. He shuddered when the aged fingers wrapped around his length. It was an effort not to jerk away completely, because what if? What if those times of comfort, times of touching, times of teasing, what if they counted? What if his fantasies and sultry dreams ruined him?

Closing his eyes, Quindecim silently wished for the world to end, not moving until he heard Grandfather gasp. Then his eyes flew open, and he saw Grandfather's face awash in a brilliant, blue light. It drew Quindecim's own gaze down.

The ring glowed brighter than ever seen before. It lit up the room with its light, painting the office in blue, blinding in its radiance. Even Quindecim was in awe of its luminosity, taken with just how bright his purity shone.

Grandfather's gaze moved up to meet his, a deep satisfaction in his blue eyes. "I have never before witnessed such extraordinary beauty."

Quindecim stood speechless, gaze caught with Grandfather's. That glow came from him, and he was having a hard time grasping it. Didn't really get a chance, as before he knew it, Grandfather moved, grabbing Quindecim's wrist and yanking him forward. Quindecim lost his balance, falling face-first into the backrest of the couch, his knees landing on the seat.

Fingers slid between his legs, Grandfather's hand moving from his dick, over his balls, until it reached the cleft of his ass. The ring finger pushed into his crevice, pressing his clothing against his hole, and Quindecim's every muscle went tense.

Grandfather knew.

Or maybe he only suspected, as so many did. It made Quindecim hold his breath either way. But the blue light that saturated the room never faded, back as pure as his front. When Grandfather's hand moved away and the light started to fade, Quindecim finally righted himself, standing stiffly though his heart pounded in his chest.

"There is something special about you, my boy," Grandfather said in a voice that made Quindecim stand up straighter, yet also held a note of awe. "You have a purity the likes of which this family has never seen before. Whoever you give it to will have something very precious and very powerful."

Quindecim looked away, unsure of what to say – unsure of what to _feel_. All this talk of purity was ridiculous, yet...

He had seen that light – _his_ light – with his own eyes. A purity unlike any other, a power that he alone could give.

His gaze lifted, feeling a weight on him, and he found Unum staring at him with narrowed eyes and a triumphant grin.

Though the test was done and over with, it wasn't the last time Quindecim would see Grandfather for a while. A marathon of engagement announcements came, each one necessitating its own grand luncheon on Grandfather's estate. By the time Septum's betrothal was being toasted, Quindecim was downright sick of family gatherings and fancy clothes. And it would only get worse come spring – he was near tempted to run himself into a coma before all the weddings began.

Shadow stayed by his side at each and every event. They hadn't had time to play in and experiment with his human form, but it was enough to have him there as a dog.

It was more than enough.


	17. Chapter 17

It was too bright, too hot, not fun or pleasant or comfortable at all. He didn't want to be here – not really – yet when he peeked over the rim of his large sunglasses to see Shadow happily frolicking in the water, pouncing on waves and biting at sea foam, he could at least find it in himself to put up with it, for Shadow's sake. The silly beast was having such a good time, it was worth the annoyance and boredom that came with being trapped on a tropical island.

It was a group bachelor party, or something like that. Unum had beseeched Quindecim come, accepting no protest. Most of their cousins were there, especially those whose marriage engagements had been announced, each bringing an entourage of friends. Unum had brought his friends too, yet still insisted Quindecim be there, as though he would be lonely without him, despite being surrounded by people. Quindecim was the youngest one there, and had no friends of his own. Though Unum stuck by him as much as he could, he had his own guests to entertain. It was fine, Quindecim insisted. Unum should have fun at his party with his friends.

They had rented an entire tropical island and all the cozy bungalows on it, the large banquet cabin in the center perfect for nighttime shenanigans. There were no adults aside from servants, no girls aside from servants, no one to stop boys from being boys for the four-day celebration.

Quindecim pushed his sunglasses back up and resumed lounging in his reclined beach chair. The large umbrella above him blocked out most of the sun, the beach jacket he wore blocking out the rest, so at least he wouldn't roast. Not that tans ever stayed with him for long – he would be just as pale tomorrow as he was when they first landed on the island. His white swim trunks had yet to get wet, keeping his distance while everyone else swam and played. He could hear Unum's bright laughter even from this far, the group of young men mere specks in the water where they splashed each other or launched one another into the air to dive into the tropical depths. Like everything else, Quindecim had no interest in that, preferring this quieter part of the beach, settling in for a nap before lunch was served.

He woke up to find Tres staring at him from afar. Even with their distance, he could see a heat in Tres's gaze that sent sirens screaming through him, and when Tres began to walk toward him, Quindecim scrambled to get to his feet, not wanting to be laying prone before his volatile cousin.

Quindecim clenched his fists as Tres advanced, torn between standing his ground or retreating to the water, or running for Unum and daring Tres to say whatever nasty things he was planning to say in front of their future family head. Tres's eyes seemed to glow hot, fixed on Quindecim's swimsuit before they flew to his face in narrowed slits.

He had just taken a single step backwards when Shadow came tearing out of the ocean, deep growl rumbling from his throat, to put himself between Quindecim and Tres. Tres's steps immediately stopped, a sneer appearing on his lip.

"Why are you even here?" Tres spat out the question.

"I was invited," Quindecim answered, even though he didn't feel the prick deserved a response.

"Well, this is my party, and I'm _un_inviting you."

Quindecim cocked a brow as if that were the stupidest thing he had ever heard – it may very well have been. "I'm here for Unum, so bring it up with him."

Tres's lip curled. "Everyone knows he gets unreasonable when it comes to you." Then his eyes narrowed, voice going low. "You're his weak spot. The whole family would be better off if _you_ were gone so that _he_ couldn't be exploited."

Quindecim's jaw clenched shut. That was probably true, but it wasn't like it was his fault, just like the privileges he got as one of the premiere family weren't his fault. He was tiring of Tres's misplaced resentment. "Tell _him_ you want me gone, then." And when Tres's scowl deepened, Quindecim snorted. "Too scared, aren't you?"

Fury blazed through Tres's eyes, and he kicked sand into Quindecim's face as he yelled, "Shut the fuck up, you pansy bitch!"

Quindecim flinched as sand flew into his eyes, and he wiped at his face as Shadow began to go off, barking and snapping at Tres, daring him to try attacking his beloved master again. Advancing a threatening step, Shadow's lips curled back, showing off his sharp, white teeth as he prowled forth, and for all his big talk and anger, Tres took a step back.

Then hands touched Quindecim's shoulders as a gentle voice said, "Master Shadow, that is quite enough."

The barking stopped, the snarls tapering off, though Shadow's ridged posture didn't relax, not while his enemy still stood there. And there was no mistake that Tres _was_ an enemy – he had made that perfectly clear. Yet with Shadow at his front and Jin at his back, Quindecim felt safer than ever.

"I told you if that dog comes near me ever again, I'll kill it," Tres growled.

Quindecim's nose crinkled in his own tiny version of a snarl. "If _you_ come near _me_ again..."

"You'll what?" Tres challenged. "You'll kill me? Try it, faggot. I dare you. Lay a finger on me and see how fast you get kicked out of this family."

His bluff had been called, in a way. He couldn't do anything physical to Tres, and telling an adult never yielded any help. He couldn't even send Shadow or Jin after him without risking their lives. All he could do was put up with it, hope once Tres was married and breeding, he would lay off.

Then Jin's calm voice came, saying a cool, "Removing Master Quindecim would not change your position, _Tres_."

"Shut the fuck up, old man!" Tres roared. "You've already betrayed this family once; don't think you'll live long if it happens again."

Fury flashed through Quindecim, but it was Shadow who responded, barking loudly in a non-stop racket, not letting anyone else get a word in.

"Shut _up_, fuckin' mutt!" Tres yelled, barely heard over the incessant barks. So he sneered, kicked sand again, and stalked away.

Quindecim watched him go, watched as Tres stormed over to his group of friends, who were huddled around a sizzling barbecue. He tossed an arm over one of his friends' shoulders, pulled him close to whisper something in his ear that Quindecim had no chance of hearing. The way Tres pointed in their direction as he spoke to his friend, though, put Quindecim on edge. He would have to keep his guard up, and it had him _shaking_ with anger. He didn't even want to come here in the first place, and now he would have to spend the next four days watching his back.

Jin's hand touched his shoulder again, but it did nothing to loosen the hard fist Quindecim's hand was balled into. "Young Master-"

"I hate him!" Quindecim shouted, not caring if anyone heard. Family be damned; Tres certainly never showed him any familial warmth or kinship. "He's no better than those bullies at school, looking down on everyone." Then he whirled, turning his hot gaze to Jin. "And how _dare_ he say that to you!?"

Jin's smile was soft, holding all kinds of affection. "He wasn't wrong."

"It was practically a threat," Quindecim replied with a deep frown.

The smile turned up as Jin gave a quiet chuckle. "I will be careful. Now, shall we have lunch?"

Quindecim's gaze turned away, still scowling, still upset. "No, I'm not hungry." He didn't want to be around any of _them_. "I'm going for a walk." Then he headed for the woods that surrounded the beach and took up the majority of the island.

The place wasn't unexplored, by any stretch. There were trails that led through the woods, signs of passing humans amongst the trees. A ragged and dirty old bandana tied to a branch, a discarded, used condom stuck in a bush. It wasn't a pristine world of his own, but this current group of island-dwellers hadn't yet ventured into the woodlands. For the moment, Quindecim had the place to himself.

He wasn't a fan of hiking. He had no interest in nature or wilderness or anything outdoorsy. If he weren't desperate to get out of Tres's line of fire, it was likely he would have spent the entire trip laying under that umbrella, sleeping.

But it was calm here, and it was quiet. Shadow seemed to be enjoying himself, sniffing everything, leading the way with his sensitive nose. Jin followed close behind, keeping his thoughts to himself. Eventually, Quindecim relaxed, began to notice the sounds of the animals around him, the ocean just beyond them.

No words passed as they walked. Quindecim didn't care if they got lost, was unconcerned about the prospect of not being able to find their way back to the beach or the cabins or the other party attendees. Hiding out in the woods, not being bothered by Tres or anyone for the rest of the trip, almost sounded like a great escape, a good way to spend what was supposed to be a fun and relaxing vacation, except that he didn't love the idea of sleeping outside. Though getting to see Unum's sad and lonely face when he finally showed up again might make it worth it.

Then, all at once, the woods cleared, finding them on the face of a small cliff. The ocean crashed against it below, water battling rock, neither willing to give an inch. The sound of it was pleasing, though what caught Quindecim's attention even more was the hole in the bedrock a few feet away from the cliff's edge.

He stepped closer, peering into the abyss to see beach sand at the bottom, water rushing in from somewhere, then retreating back to the sea. It was deep enough that even a fully-grown man wouldn't be able to climb out on his own if he fell in, but not so far that some light couldn't reach the bottom. Looked cozy.

A deceptively strong hand took his arm and pulled him back, Jin chiding, "Don't get too close, Master Quindecim. If you fall in, it will be the end of you."

Quindecim snorted even as he let himself be pulled away to safety. "You would pull me out."

"Even I could not reach down that far," Jin replied with a chuckle in his voice. "And by the time I ran for assistance, the tide would have come in, swallowing you up."

Quindecim looked back towards the hole, geology totally lost on him. "If it fills up, couldn't I just swim out?"

"The most powerful swimmers in the world couldn't swim out from there." Jin turned, heading back towards the woods. "The current that pulls the water back out to sea is exceedingly strong. Every year, a number of people are killed in such formations, pulled under the rock by an inescapable undertow."

Humming in mild surprise and minimum amounts of interest, Quindecim followed Jin, not especially concerned with where they were going. He whistled for Shadow to follow, the big dog seeming determined to sniff each and every leaf and rock they passed. He wondered briefly if Shadow retained his keen, canine sense of smell when in human form, thought about asking Jin's thoughts on it, though he got the impression Jin didn't want to even think about Shadow's transformations and what the change did to Quindecim.

He kept his thoughts to himself, followed along to their private cabin, and waited patiently while Jin prepared them a peaceful lunch for three.

Someone, at some point, suggested strippers, because this was "supposed to be a bachelor party." Unum and Duo both shut that idea down fast, citing logistical difficulties – there wouldn't be another plane to drop off or pick anyone up for four days – and that they had no desire to look at anyone besides their betrothed.

It wasn't until the second reason was brought up that Quattuor and Quinque agreed, some bit of reluctance in their voices. It was also the thing that soured Quindecim's mood even more, jealousy flaring in his gut. He didn't want to be here.

The case against strippers didn't stop them from commandeering a room in the banquet cabin and setting up a projector and screen to show a porn marathon all night. Quindecim could hear the poorly faked cries of the actress from the main hall, where he loitered around set-up tables, picking at what was left of the food that had been served for dinner. More food went to Shadow than ended up on is plate, though – the sick noises from the other room had killed his appetite.

He had just begun to reach for a macaron from a silver tray when Shadow gave a sharp warning bark, causing Quindecim to whirl. He again found himself faced with Tres, this time flanked by a group of his friends. It sent warning bells clanging in his skull, suddenly feeling like a trapped rat, though Unum was just a call away.

"What do you want?" Quindecim asked with a frown.

"You're out here all alone, scrounging for scraps," Tres mocked, his friends snickering along with him. "Practicing for your future as a street rat?"

Quindecim blinked a slow moment before replying, "I'm just trying to see what it's like not being served first, for once." He put fake concern in his face and voice. "So I can empathize with you."

Tres sneered, but he seemed determined not to lose his cool in front of his friends. Admirable. "Didn't you hear, _cuz_? I'll be married in seven months, and my bitch is going to be knocked up the first night, with how hard I'm going to fuck her. If I have the first grand_brat_, the premier position is mine."

Quindecim snorted.

Family is everything.

Family is _nothing_.

_Position_ is everything.

"Unum will have the first child," Quindecim stated. "He'll be married a full week before you."

"If he can even get it up," Tres muttered. But then he smiled, eyes going bright; it wasn't at all a good sight. "Say, _Fifteen_, we've got a hot movie playing in the other room. Want to come watch it with us?"

"I'm not interested in your gross porn."

"I promise the dude in it has a big cock. You like that, right?" Tres retorted. His friends snickered, one of them raised his brows in a look of surprise, like he believed any of the garbage that came out of Tres's mouth.

Quindecim put on his bored face. He had never lost a battle of calm, cool wits to Tres before; this would be no different. "Thanks for the invitation, but I'm just not interested in sitting in a room full of men and jerking off with you."

His mouth was definitely going to get him killed one day, but seeing Tres absolutely lose it gave him such joy.

Tres's voice was like a hot iron as he spat, "Says the little freak who would spread his legs for-"

Shadow didn't let him get a sentence out. As if deciding he was tired of hearing Tres speak, he barked loud, the angry sounds echoing throughout the large hall, filling every inch of space with his shouts. Nothing else could be heard, the furious barks driving even thoughts away until it felt as though the whole world must be wrapped up in the noise and wrath and anger of Shadow.

"Oh my god, shut _up_!" Tres tried to shout, though it was drowned out by Shadow's barks. He covered his ears with his hands, as did some of his friends, as if to block out the penetrating sounds, but his glare never left Quindecim, who dared to hold his gaze.

The barking drew attention, other party-goers emerging from where they had been hanging out to see what was going on. They seemed to murmur amongst each other, perhaps surprised that it was two family members who faced off against each other, perhaps unaware until now of the big dog that had been in their midst. Even Quattuor and Quinque's faces peeked out of the porn room, though nobody said or did anything until Unum strode out of the room he had been in, Duo right behind him, brow creased in concern and a readiness to defend.

While Duo stopped off to the side, not picking sides with either of them, Unum stepped right beside Quindecim, raising a hand toward Shadow. "It's all right, now." Shadow stopped barking, and Unum turned challenging eyes to Tres, asking, "What's going on here?"

"Nothing," Tres shrugged, trying to play casual. "I asked if he wanted to watch a movie and his mutt went off."

"He asked if I wanted to watch _porn_ and then started acting threatening when I said no," Quindecim corrected.

"How was I acting threatening?"

"Your words were."

Tres looked over his shoulder at his friends, smirk appearing on his lip as he asked, "Was I threatening?"

"Nope," came the expected answer.

"Not at all."

"I thought you were being rather nice."

And Tres flopped his head back in Unum's direction, his dark hair falling into his face. "See? I was just looking to spend some time with my little cousin."

Unum didn't look impressed. Something burned in his blue eyes – something dangerous. Yet, his voice was calm and even when he said, "Do not torment him again."

Any hint of smile or smirk dropped from Tres's face. He clearly wanted to say something – likely to call Unum out for his preferential treatment, or call Quindecim a wimp who had to hide behind his brother – but he didn't dare. Not to the future head of the family, not to the one who could someday take everything away from him.

Nobody spoke for a moment, the silence amplifying the sounds of the porno flick that continued to play in the other room. It was Duo who finally snapped, glaring at his brothers with a cold, "Could you _please_ turn that vile film _off_?"

Quattuor and Quinque both slinked back into the video room, managing to look ashamed. A moment later, the sounds stopped, but much of the tension in the room had already started to disperse. People had started talking, a few turning to go back to whatever they were doing before. Quindecim caught snippets of ideas for other movies they could watch, now that the projector was freed up. Around them, the guests began to move, yet Unum and Tres continued to stare hot at one another.

Then finally, Unum's chin lifted, eyelids drooping into an almost haughty look that he rarely gave as he said, "There's a reason why his purity shines brighter than any others." Then without another word or glance, he walked away.

Quindecim moved to follow, but as he passed by Tres, he caught the venomous utterance meant just for him, Tres promising, "Not for long."

He stared hard at Tres as he went, backed up by Shadow's low growl, but the quiet threat made his heart pound.

Following into the room Unum had gone into, Quindecim found an interrupted blackjack game in progress, colorful chips that held no real monetary value stacked in piles on the table. One of Unum's friends pulled out a chair, inviting Quindecim to sit, and he thanked him as he took the seat while at the same time eyeing the huge stack of chips in front of Duo.

"He cheats," Unum said, catching Quindecim's gaze.

Duo pushed up his glasses, the silver frames catching the overhead light in a quick glint. "I do not."

"He counts cards," Unum added, laughter in his voice. He took a variety of chips from his own pile and set them in front of Quindecim; another guest dealt him a hand of cards.

"Only a genius could actually count cards successfully," Duo replied matter-of-factly.

Unum smiled. "And hence, he cheats."

Duo didn't reply, but the tiny smile that played on his lips said enough.

They played a few hands; Quindecim barely understood the game, didn't care enough about what was going on to feel anything at all when he ran out of chips just a few minutes after sitting down. But he was with Unum, was being treated kindly by Unum's friends, so he sat there with a rare feeling of contentment. When more chips were pushed in front of him, he refused them, needing nothing more than to sit by his brother's side. When Unum won several hands in a row, he sent a soft smile toward Quindecim, claiming he was his good-luck charm.

It was the closest Quindecim had come to having fun in a while. He could almost forget this was Unum's bachelor party, that he would be married and gone from his life in just a few short months.

Remembering that so suddenly put an ache in Quindecim's chest. He wanted to cling to his brother and not let go – not let anyone else have him, unreasonable a demand as it was. Just as it was unreasonable to expect him to be okay with... all of this.

His hand came up to clutch at his shirt, mindlessly twisting the material over his heart in a tight fist, eyes staring hard at the table as if it would tell him what to do with his life after Unum had moved on without him. A whimper sounded, Shadow touching his leg with his nose as if to see if he was okay. Hand moving to Shadow's head, Quindecim gave a reassuring pet, but he could feel Unum's gaze weighing on him, making him go still, like trying to remain unnoticed.

"Are you alright?" Unum asked softly. "Do you need to rest?"

Quindecim shook his head as he quietly answered, "No, just... I need to use the restroom." Then he stood, climbing to legs that trembled at the thoughts swirling in his head. "I'll be right back." He held a palm out, commanding Shadow to stay to keep with the pretense of going to the bathroom. He could break down alone, just this once.

The banquet cabin's restroom was as swank as the rest of the place, decked in stylish black and gold, walls thick enough that no offensive sounds would be heard in the main hall. Thankfully, the room was empty. Quindecim locked himself in one of the stalls, sitting on the closed lid of the toilet seat. It was a rare thing, things affecting him until he cried. There were so few things he cared enough about, his life so empty. Unum was one of the only things he had; Unum had always been there, comforting and protecting him. And soon, Unum would leave him.

As if it were really hitting him for the first time, tears began to drop from Quindecim's eyes, burning tracks down his face before splashing upon and soaking into his pants. It was a silent cry, the sadness pouring from him in a sort of quiet acceptance. There was nothing he could do to keep his brother with him. Everyone would leave him, eventually.

He sniffled loudly, feeling like a child who'd had a toy taken away. He was always being told to take care of things himself, so he would allow himself to cry over what he would do without Unum in his life, and then he would figure something out. Maybe run away, maybe take an extended vacation with Shadow to a place where nobody knew him, maybe knock up Isabelle Corvid and wait for whatever career was assigned to him.

The disruptive sound of the bathroom door opening had Quindecim swallowing his sniffles. He didn't want to be caught crying; his misery was nobody's business. Breathing deeply and silently, he waited for whoever it was to do their business and leave, but after what must have been several full minutes, he noticed the place had gone silent. The intruder had either performed the world's quietest piss and left without flushing, or hadn't actually come in in the first place.

A final, slow breath exhaled slowly through Quindecim's parted lips, the disruption helping him get ahold of himself, at least. Climbing to his feet, he reached for the latch of the stall door, intending on washing his face, then heading back to the card game to quietly bask in Unum's presence.

He wasn't alone.

None of Tres's friends – or any of the party's guests, for that matter – had been introduced to him, though Quindecim was sure the guy leaning against the sink counter had been called Alec at some point. He was the one who followed Tres around the most, kissed his ass the best, and was no doubt dumb enough to think harassing Quindecim would score him favor with Tres.

Quindecim thought about retreating back into the stall, but trapping himself in an even smaller space than the bathroom itself didn't seem like a great idea. So instead, he wrapped his arms around himself protectively, challenging, "What do you want?"

Alec gave a lopsided, smarmy grin – he had learned from Tres well. "I hear you're queer."

"I'm not," Quindecim replied with a scowl and a heavy thudding in his chest. "Tres is just being a jerk."

"You look awfully queer to me."

"Well, I'm not." He wanted to leave, wanted to stomp away on angry footsteps and get away from this asshole who would torment him without even knowing him. But he would have to walk by Alec to get out the door, and he hadn't yet decided if he should risk it or not. "Leave me alone."

"You ever suck a dick?" Alec asked next, his hand drifting down to grab at his crotch. "I bet you're real good at it, pretty mouth like that." He straightened then, advancing, coming close enough that Quindecim took several steps back.

"Stay away from me," Quindecim warned, though it wasn't like he could do anything about it. He could try to fight or scream, but even he doubted how effective that would be.

"Rumor has it you'll go down on anyone, you're so hungry for cock." And when Quindecim's back hit the restroom's wall, trapping him, Alec brought an arm up, pressing his palm to the wall right next to Quindecim's head, caging him in. "What do ya say? Wanna give me a taste?"

"No! Leave me alone!" He tried to get away, tried to dart to the side not blocked off and make his escape, but he was caught. Alec grabbed a fistful of his shirt and slammed him against the wall, causing Quindecim to cry out.

Leaning in far too close, Alec hissed loud in Quindecim's ear, "Be a good slut and suck my dick." Then he grabbed Quindecim's hair, burying his fingers into the locks, digging his nails into his scalp. He jerked Quindecim's head back and forth, seeming to relish the cries, his face going completely aroused, and then he yanked him down. Quindecim's knees slammed to the bathroom floor, bruising against the tile, his groan of pain muffled when his face was pushed roughly into Alec's crotch.

He tried to fight. He tried pushing and punching at Alec's legs, but the guy just laughed as he ground his hardening cock against Quindecim's face. No amount of wrenching his head back would loosen the hold on his hair, and only hurt all the more when he tried, the grip on his hair tightening with his efforts.

"Lucky for you, I like it rough," Alec said, cackling again as he thrust his hips. Then his other hand moved to pop open his fly, fishing his dick out. Quindecim's struggles increased, scrambling with feet and hands to get away, but another yank of his hair sent searing pain flaring through his scalp. "Fighting only makes me harder!" Alec laughed, and then he rubbed the head of his cock against Quindecim's lips, smearing bitter pre-cum.

Burst and fury, the bathroom door flew open, a snarl filling every corner of the room. The invading dick trying to force its way into his mouth was wrenched away, the hand pulling from his hair, and Quindecim looked up to see Shadow, teeth clamped tight around cargo shorts, yanking Alec back. Every muscle in his canine body moved to fling Alec into the sink counter, and then wrench him to the floor. Those white teeth went for Alec's shirt next, gripping the pink polo and yanking hard until it tore.

"Fuck!" Alec yelled, both fear and anger written in his expression. He scrambled to get up, but froze when Shadow stood over him, lips pulled back to snarl in his face. "Don't- Don't hurt me! I didn't mean it! Call your dog off!"

Quindecim only stared with wide eyes, panting, adrenaline coursing through him. Fear pulsed through him like a heartbeat, horrified at what this guy had almost done to him. Somehow, it was so much worse than being punched and kicked by the bullies at school.

A command came to his tongue – a command to tear. To rip and shred whatever he pointed at. It would be so easy, and that scared him too.

"Please, man," Alec said, not the first to plead for his life at the threat of Shadow's fangs. "It was just a joke. I wasn't really gonna do anything."

Pulling in a final deep breath, Quindecim's back straightened, and then he climbed to his feet. He stepped forward to stand over Alec, keeping Shadow in between them. "You said you like it rough," he said blankly. Then he gave a little tilt of his head. "He can play rough."

"It was just a prank!" Alec tried to sit up again, and Shadow snapped at him, teeth dangerously close to his face. It was almost funny how quickly he backed down, except that Quindecim was in no mood to be amused.

"You touched your dirty dick to my face."

"I wasn't really gonna do anything!"

Quindecim just stared at the guy for a moment. Something inside told him if he let Alec go just like that right now, it wouldn't be the last time he had to deal with him. His tormentors never seemed to get tired of picking on him – not Tres, not Brent Katze or any of his goons. They would never leave him alone, not unless he did something about them. But what could he do? He couldn't keep this asshole trapped under tooth and claw in a bathroom for the next three days. He didn't want to have to cling to Unum the rest of their time here.

Finally, he quietly commanded, "Shadow, down." And Shadow quickly dropped his growling, closed his jaws, though his eyes stayed alert. Alec didn't dare move just yet, giving Quindecim a chance to say, "I didn't do anything to you; you have no right to attack me like that. Just leave me alone."

Then he left. He didn't give Alec any more chances to claim it was a joke or act like he wasn't about to violently force Quindecim to suck him off. He walked by Alec's prone form without another glance, as if daring the guy to reach out for him as he went. Shadow growling low as he followed was a strong enough deterrent against that.

Tres stepped into the main hall at the same time Quindecim did, a devious look on his face. It was a look that made Quindecim sure if Shadow hadn't shown up – hadn't saved him yet again – more than a forced blow-job would have happened in that bathroom. But the expression darkened to a scowl when he saw Quindecim unscathed, his faithful dog by his side. For a moment, they just stared at each other, as if waiting for someone to make the first move, until Quindecim decided he didn't want to give Tres the chance. He didn't want to hear any more of Tres's cruel taunts or threats, didn't want to see his face anymore, so he simply turned himself towards the main hall's front doors and walked out.

The night air on the island felt better than during the day. It was cooler, and the sound of the nearby ocean came more distinct. The moon hanging in the clear sky provided enough light for him to find his way back to his cabin. He didn't have any friends to share with, and hadn't wanted to room with Unum and his friends, none of whom he knew. He was given a cabin to himself, and with eyes turned away had acquiesced that Jin could share with him, if he wanted, instead of staying in the servants' quarters.

He was glad to have Jin with him, glad to have someone he trusted completely nearby. Jin had a book laying open on the cabin lounge room's table, a cup of tea in front of him, when Quindecim came in. Looking up from his book, Jin smiled warmly. "Master Quindecim, you're back early."

Quindecim thought very briefly about telling Jin everything that happened, but quickly decided against it. There was nothing Jin could do about any of it, and it would just worry him. "It was boring," he said instead without elaborating.

"I see," Jin replied, smile not wavering. "Did you eat?"

"I ate a little."

"Enough?"

Quindecim looked at him – Jin would find a way to worry regardless. "Enough."

Then Jin stood, ready to serve. "Would you care for a cup of tea?"

Crossing to the sofa, Quindecim began tossing cushions to the floor, making a nest for himself in front of the low-lit fireplace. "Yeah..." He plopped into the pile of cushions, Shadow diving in to join him. "Thanks."

Jin gave a slight bow, then disappeared into the kitchen, and Quindecim found himself wishing it could be like this always, just the three of them. It never would be, though, not with him needing to breed and wed before he even reached adulthood.

Curling comfortably on his side, Quindecim idly ran his fingers through Shadow's fur, not otherwise moving until Jin came back with a steaming cup of Earl Grey tea. He thanked him, and when Jin asked if he would be in need of anything else, he declined.

"Then," Jin started, folding his hands before him. "I shall go assist with the cleanup."

Quindecim waved him off – Jin was happiest when he was working, so he wouldn't insist he stay. And when they were alone, Quindecim curled more tightly, wrapping himself around Shadow. He buried his face into Shadow's neck, and Shadow likewise rested his muzzle on Quindecim's shoulder.

Feeling safe and secure at last, he fell into a quiet sleep.


	18. Chapter 18

His sunglasses were on, beach umbrella open wide, a virgin pina coloda set on a tray on the sand beside his chair. Quindecim settled in for another fun-filled day of watching Shadow play in the water and pretending he supported Unum's upcoming marriage. He was hoping he could go the next three days flying under everyone's radar, but that was quickly dashed when he woke up that morning to Unum's hand slipping through his hair, his brother grinning down at him as he asked why Quindecim was sleeping on the floor.

He had been coerced into eating breakfast with everyone, and managed to avoid any torment by Tres and his cronies by staying close to Unum. The beach was a bit more open, though, and for a while Shadow wouldn't leave his side, as if vigilantly keeping an eye out for enemies. He saw that Alec guy glaring at him from across the sand, but it seemed he wouldn't dare try anything, either because they were in view of everyone or because of Shadow's protective vigil. Probably both.

Eventually, though, after watching Shadow stare longingly at the open ocean, Quindecim finally shooed the dog away, encouraging, "Go on; go play." And when Shadow only adjusted to sit closer to the beach chair, digging his paws into the sand, Quindecim sighed. Shadow was torn between swimming in the ocean and protecting his master – it must have been so hard being a dog.

The sand was hot on his feet as he stood, the tropical island ever warm, even when autumn had firmly settled in back home. It was a whole other world here, one where seasons didn't exist. Not the kind of place Quindecim was especially fond of – Shadow was far too cute covered in snow for him to ever give up winter. "Let's go," he said as he slipped off his sunglasses and beach jacket and set them on the chair.

Shadow practically bounced as they made their way to the water. He ran circles around Quindecim, then took off to beat him into the waves, smiling the entire time. Quindecim shook his head, but Shadow's joy was so infectious, he was almost convinced their link went both ways instead of just one direction.

Warm water swallowed him up to his ankles as he stepped into the ocean, and Shadow ran back-and-forth between him and as deep as he could stand, as if to entreat Quindecim further in. "I'm coming," he said, wading in further, letting the water circle around his knees, his waist, his chest. When the ocean lapped at his shoulders, he pushed off, beginning smooth strokes that cut gracefully through the water. He wasn't a bad swimmer, had dutifully taken lessons as a kid, though he wasn't especially powerful either. If he got caught in a riptide, he would absolutely be unable to fight his way out of it, but with Shadow paddling by his side, he felt perfectly safe in the water.

He swam around aimless for a bit, enjoying Shadow trying to chase him more than the swimming itself. He tired easily, though, and it wasn't long before he changed to simply floating on his back, letting the saltwater hold him up. His eyes closed, his breath coming deep and even, conserving energy. He would have to get out soon and rest, perhaps take a nap on the beach, or go back to his cabin and sleep the rest of the trip away.

Arms wrapped around his chest, slipping up from beneath the water. Quindecim's eyes flew open as he was pulled half under, his legs immediately, instinctively kicking for purchase, trying to get away. His arms flailed, splashing, fighting. Every muscle was tense and taut, not wanting to go out this way, ambushed in the water. It wasn't until he heard a laugh, realized his head had been supported against a damp chest and never went under, noticed that Shadow hadn't barked a warning or attacked, that he stopped fighting and looked behind himself.

Unum smiled down at him, golden hair shining under the sunlight, eyes even brighter. "You're cute when you're wet."

Quindecim squirmed out of his brother's hold. "No, I'm not." He stood then, water licking at his neck. "Shouldn't you be entertaining your guests?"

"Come play with us."

For a moment, Quindecim was taken aback. He had never heard those words before, or at least not so sincerely. People didn't _play_ with him unless it was to torment and bully him. There was good reason for that, too; he wasn't very friendly, and never in a mood to deal with people. If the invitation had come from anyone else, he likely would have assumed they were jerking him around and blown them off. But this was Unum, who would never hurt him, so instead, his brows drew together, and he questioned, "Play?"

Unum grabbed his hand, starting to pull him to where a group of boys were laughing and splashing each other in the water. "Yeah! We're playing Chicken Fight; I need you to be my top." His smile brightened and he gave a wink.

"I don't know how to play Chicken Fight," Quindecim said, resisting being pulled along by Unum's whim.

Unum didn't relent. "You just sit on my shoulders and try to knock over the other people sitting on shoulders. Last team standing wins."

"I'm too small to knock anyone over."

Very suddenly, Unum stopped pulling and instead moved in closer, leaning in to put his mouth next to Quindecim's ear. "You're nimble," he said quietly, as if it were a secret tactic. "And you're smart. I wouldn't be asking if I didn't think you could do it." Then he pulled back, smile still glowing softly. "Plus, you'll have me on your side. We can't lose."

Quindecim's eyes slid away even as he let himself be led to where Unum's friends frolicked. He tried not to think of himself as the annoying little brother that they were being forced to play with, and it helped quite a bit when he was greeted by the group with genuine-looking smiles.

"We're not going to go easy on you," one of the guys said, and it was difficult to decide if it were more likely that Unum had asked his friends to play nice, or if he had simply surrounded himself with decent people.

"What do I do?" Quindecim asked, turning his gaze to Unum just in time to see his brother duck under the water. A moment later, his knees were pushed forward, causing them to buckle, buoyed by the water as a blond head appeared between his legs. Unum rose beneath him, lifting, and when he stood again, Quindecim was seated on his shoulders. Almost reflexively, Quindecim's feet wrapped under Unum's arms, planting against Unum's back. His fingers slipped into Unum's hair while Unum's hands came up to grip Quindecim's thighs.

He felt awkward, perhaps a little aroused.

Around them, others were pairing off, riders mounting their partners' shoulders. Quindecim still didn't get what he was supposed to do, how he was supposed to knock down someone older and bigger than him while balancing precariously on top of Unum. And when the charge started, all he could do was hold on tight and lean out of the way when arms reached out for him in an attempt to topple him.

An arm swung for him and Quindecim ducked, clinging to Unum's head. Unum laughed as he crashed his hip into the other carrier, the collision in addition to the failed attack knocking both of the other pair off balance and sending them splashing to the water.

"See? You're a natural!" Unum called as he spun to dodge another oncoming pair.

"I'm not doing anything," Quindecim muttered, hanging on for dear life, lost on how anyone could find this entertaining.

They were targeted a few times, but not exclusively so. Despite Unum being the unspoken star of the shared celebration, they were treated equally by Unum's friends, neither revered nor reviled. Perhaps this was what real friendship looked like – Quindecim wouldn't know.

Another attack came, another dance to spin out of the way before Unum used his shoulder and Quindecim's leg to fight back, and then a twinge bit at Quindecim's stomach. His head shot up, unfurling from his protective, hunched position, and he turned, desperately scanning the beach and water.

Curled on the beach, just on the edge of the water, Shadow's fur was already almost completely gone.

Flinging himself from Unum's back, Quindecim barely felt the water splash around him, desperate as he was to get to Shadow before it was too late – before anyone saw. He thought he heard Unum call his name, but he couldn't stop to explain. The ocean seemed to be fighting him, the water pushing against his legs as he tried to run for the shore. He fought back, struggling through the tide while chanting '_no, no, no_' in his mind, pushing the thought through their link.

He threw himself over Shadow's changing body, hitting the ground with such force his knees embedded into the sand and his face came inches away from tasting a clump of seaweed laying on the beach. "Stop," he said quietly, eyes clenched shut, coming out more like a plea than anything. And Shadow must have listened, as Quindecim didn't feel any further shifting or elongating, any movement at all. Not until he himself pulled back to look at Shadow.

The face he looked into was monstrous, an unsettling cross between human and canine. A still-black nose capped a shortened muzzle, sharp dog teeth protruding from a widened mouth that hadn't formed lips yet. But his eyes were the same. The same warmth and love directed only at Quindecim.

Quindecim swallowed a breath, holding Shadow's gaze as he lifted his hand and flexed his fingers. "Change," he nearly begged.

Shadow's eyes widened – his most human expression yet, despite the rest of his face. Then the fur came back, his muzzle lengthened, the nubs of human ears that had begun to sprout receded back into his canine flesh.

Quindecim sighed in relief, then pet Shadow's head, scratching behind his ears. "Good boy."

"Quindecim?" Unum's voice came from behind him.

Snatching up a vine of seaweed, Quindecim stood and turned to face his brother. "Dogs will eat anything," he said like a complaint, holding the weed up.

Unum's brows rose, concern lacing his expression. "Was he choking?"

"I don't think so," Quindecim answered, easily spinning a story. "But it looked like he was for a second." His arm dropped, as did his gaze. "Sorry for running off."

Unum's smile was reassuring – he had bought the lie. "Don't be. Better safe than sorry, right?" And at Quindecim's slow nod, Unum reached to take the strand of seaweed from his hand, turning to fling it back into the ocean. Then he slid his arm around Quindecim's shoulders. "Ready for round two?"

Quindecim groaned in response, but he was relieved. The crisis had been averted; their secret was still safe. He turned back to Shadow, giving a gentle, "Be good," then, "Go play." He and Shadow watched each other as Unum led him away, but then a scuttling crab caught Shadow's attention, and the dog pounced, attempting to make a new friend.

It eased him, if even a little bit. He may have been more resistant to Unum's invitation if he didn't think Shadow could amuse himself. But with no excuse to back out, he was again hoisted onto Unum's shoulders, again left clinging just to stay upright while others reached to topple him. Maybe it had been part of Unum's plan, but Quindecim's size did work out for them. He was quick to dodge and difficult to get hold of. His light weight made it easy for Unum to maneuver, and more than one pair was sent splashing to the water when the momentum of their own attack was used against them.

They almost had it. They almost had whatever championship all this counted for in the bag, but then the exhaustion hit him. It was overwhelming and sudden, forcing Quindecim to lean heavily on Unum's head. Unum didn't seem to have noticed, continuing to play with his friends. Another spin, years of dance lessons put to work, had Quindecim wobbling, the energy to even try to stay upright quickly draining from him. His eyes hurt from trying to stay open, and he let them fall closed as Unum turned them around once more.

When he slowly opened his eyes again, while Unum's laughing voice dampened to a muffled sound in his ears, he saw Tres and Alec a way down the beach. They stood waist-deep in the water, both looking down into the depths between them. Alec's hands were plunged into the water, both of them sneering something cruel. Then, as if feeling the weight of Quindecim's gaze on him, Tres looked up. Their eyes met and Quindecim could almost see Tres's lip curling wicked, but then Unum turned again, pulling the scene away from him.

His heart sped up, stealing more of his precious energy. He looked, slowly and frantically searching the ocean around them, whimpering when Unum turned them again before he could get a good look at anything in particular.

"Shadow..." He tried calling out, but his voice was too weak. His eyes couldn't focus, vision graying, growing ever darker. Another turn, another muffled laugh, and once again Quindecim saw Tres staring at him with a malicious smirk that screamed danger.

Then his vision went entirely black.

In some far-off world, he heard Unum cheer, "We did it!" He felt his body falling. Then he felt the water swallow him up.

It was dark when he woke up. He had no sense of time, no sense of anything. The room he was in, the bed, they weren't his. For a moment, he couldn't remember where he was or what had happened.

But the warm weight pressed against his side – that was familiar.

He reached to run his fingers through Shadow's fur, still slightly damp, smelling of wet dog. It reminded him, slowly, of where he was. He had been with Unum and passed out; now he was back in his cabin. He couldn't have been out too long; whatever rest he had gotten had been enough for him to throw back the covers of the bed he was in and stand up on tired legs.

As soon as he had stepped into the cabin's living room, Jin was on him, taking his arm and ushering him to the sofa, fretting all the way. "Young Master, please sit and rest. Are you hurt anywhere? Would you like some tea? Shall I call Master Unum?"

"How long was I out?" Quindecim asked, ignoring all of Jin's inquiries for the time being.

"A few hours," Jin answered, expression moving from concerned to cautious. "Master Unum aided you as soon as you fell, so you didn't take in any water. You were lucky." It was quiet for a breath, and then he added, "He is very worried about you."

Quindecim felt his lip tug into a frown, his eyes gliding to the side. "Then he should be here."

A sad sound escaped from Jin, but he tried a placating smile. "He is very busy."

Too busy for his own brother.

He didn't say anything though, not for a little while. He stewed in his thoughts, let the silence grow into something comforting, accepted the hot cup of tea Jin brought to him. It wasn't until the soothing liquid touched his throat and his tongue tasted of Earl Gray that he finally asked, "Did something happen?"

Jin's hands folded before him, clasping one another tightly. When he answered, his voice was solemn. "I saw a... an _accomplice_ of Tres's push Master Shadow's body out to sea. It was clear... Master Shadow had been drowned."

Quindecim's grip on his teacup tightened, threatening to shatter it. "Dark-haired guy?" he asked. "Mushroom cut?"

"Yes," Jin answered. "That was the one."

_Alec_. Tres's own little henchman had helped kill Shadow, not an ounce of morals or decency in either of them. It enraged Quindecim that someone would _dare_...

He looked down at Shadow, who looked back up with his tail wagging. An innocent bystander, Shadow had never hurt anyone, only ever sticking up for Quindecim. So often, that was enough to condemn him.

"I couldn't do anything," Jin continued quietly. "I couldn't accuse them or call them out, knowing what would happen. I couldn't draw attention... I'm sorry."

Quindecim's hands trembled with rage. Of all the things... Of all the things Tres or anyone had done to him, this was too far. To kill his _dog_. To murder a pet in such a despicable way, for no reason. He would never forgive them. Never forgive them. Never forgive them. Never, never, never forgive them.

Beneath his fingers, the teacup cracked.

The lights were on in the main cabin; not a surprise since it was still early evening. Voices could be heard coming from inside – heated, argumentative. Quindecim paused under an open window, listening in while he rolled up the denim shorts he wore. The conversation was as unsurprising as anything.

"He doesn't belong here." Tres's voice came harsh and hot.

Unum's voice was far more cool. "He's my brother, and my guest."

"He's a _kid_."

"He has not stopped you from doing whatever you want here."

"Until the weakling collapsed and cancelled the fireworks."

"We can do them tomorrow. It isn't a big deal."

"We were supposed to do them _tonight_."

"Then _go_. _Light_ them." The whole world stopped when Unum raised his voice, paying close attention to his words. "If that is really your grievance, then you are more childish than you claim him to be. He has harmed nothing. He has ruined _nothing_. If you are really so desperate for your fireworks, then go and play with them. Have fun."

No response came, and Quindecim longed to see the look on Tres's face as he ate his words. He couldn't decide if Tres were ballsy or stupid for finally letting his disdain for Quindecim be shown in front of Unum, especially after what he did to Shadow. That part must not have been thought through very well, making a complaint about someone only to have their dog turn up dead. Tres was lucky that wasn't what would happen.

He was just about to move away from his spot by the window when Tres finally gave a reply, muttering, "It's more than just that."

"What is it, then?" Unum asked evenly. His words indicated he would listen to any complaints without judgement – his tone made it clear he could not.

Another several beats of silence passed, and then Tres huffed. "Never mind."

If Unum had any more words after that, Quindecim didn't hear them. He had things to do, a plan in mind to take care of things himself. He told himself it wasn't something as petty as revenge that carried him forward; he was just protecting himself, though his mind clouded and his vision went red as soon as he stepped inside the main cabin and saw Tres and Alec.

The room went silent when Quindecim stepped in, even those who lurked to watch the cousins argue dropping their side conversations. For a moment, they all just looked at him, a few with a hidden need darkening their gazes. His rolled-up shorts and loose tank-top left all but a sliver of his pale skin exposed, and even Unum seemed unable to resist a sweep over his body. But then, he _was_ Unum's weak spot.

Alec's gaze burned with how intense his lust was, and that was perfect. That would be the reason for his downfall second only to his stupid devotion to Tres. Quindecim watched both of them as he went further into the cabin, and he nearly laughed out loud at how quickly their expressions turned to wide-eyed horror when Shadow followed him in right after.

Nearly laughed – except it absolutely evidenced that Tres and Alec had, indeed, killed Shadow.

His chin tilted down, a small growl just beginning to rumble in the back of his throat, and then he found himself caught up in Unum's arms.

"You're okay," Unum breathed, embrace tight, not caring about anyone else in the room watching. "I was so worried."

Quindecim wrapped his arms around Unum's waist, reveling in his brother's scent. "Sorry," he replied softly.

"I pushed you too hard. It was all my fault." Unum's hand found its way into Quindecim's hair, like he wanted to cling to him forever, and Quindecim would have been fine with that. "I'm so sorry."

Face hidden against his brother's chest, Quindecim sneered. Unum was taking all the blame on himself, even though it was _Tres_'s fault. _Tres_ was the one with the grudge, and his pathetic little henchman delivered the blow that made Quindecim fall. _They_ were to blame, not Unum, and he was going to make them pay for it.

But for now, he just pulled back, meeting Unum's eyes as he shook his head. "No, I'm just weak." Then, before Unum could protest, Quindecim gave a cute smile, saying, "I'm hungry. Is there anything to eat?"

Unum watched him carefully for a moment. Knowing him better than anyone else, Quindecim had to be careful not to pull the cutesy act too much, or Unum would get suspicious. It wouldn't do to have Unum think he had gotten a head injury or something and ordered him confined to his cabin for the next two days.

He was saved from scrutiny when one of Unum's friends finally spoke up, saying, "There's a lot of food left. Can I get you something?"

Quindecim stepped back, smiling up at his brother a moment longer before turning to the guy who had spoken. "I can get it myself, thanks."

People started moving, then, slinking back to whatever they were doing before Unum and Tres got into it. Tres grabbed Alec by his shirtfront and practically dragged him away, presumably to berate the poor lapdog for failing every order he had been given. Other boys moved to the food table or into other rooms of the cabin. When they no longer had all the attention on them, Unum stepped closer and asked, "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine," Quindecim answered softly. "You know I just get tired sometimes."

"It's my fault."

"It's not." It was Tres's fault. "It happens randomly. You know that." It wasn't true, but that was how it appeared to Unum and Father and anyone else who didn't know about his connection with Shadow. "I just needed a little rest, and now I'm fine."

Unum stared at him for a long time, but then he sighed. "All right. But if you start feeling tired again, you tell me."

Quindecim smiled. "Yes, big brother."

Then Unum put a hand to Quindecim's arm, dragging fingers lightly along his skin, moving up along his bicep and over his shoulder. His eyes seemed to burn as his fingers slid towards Quindecim's chest, but he stopped before reaching there. His fingertips parked at Quindecim's collarbone, and then Unum asked in a voice gone thick, "Why are you dressed like that?"

"Like what?" Asked innocently.

Fingers wrapped around the strap of his tank-top, tugging lightly. "Exposed."

Quindecim forced a puffed chuckle. "We're on a tropical island. This is normal."

"You should cover more. You'll get sick."

"I'll be fine." Then he stepped away, but Unum used his grip on the tank-top to pull him back. "_Unum_," he chastised, the only one in the family – aside from Father and Grandfather – allowed to do so. The only one who could get away with so much. As far as Unum was concerned, Quindecim could get away with murder.

Reaching up, Quindecim gently pried Unum's hand off his top, though he held on to the warm hand for a moment longer. He looked up to meet Unum's bright blue gaze, and was taken away by how much Unum looked like he wanted comfort. Like he needed it, needed to know Quindecim was really alright, really alive.

But they couldn't right now; there were still people lurking about, friends waiting for Unum to join their games, and they had learned as children that brothers weren't supposed to comfort each other like that, even though it was the most comforting thing.

He opened his mouth to speak, tongue just starting to form another insistence that he was fine, that he would _be_ fine, when Unum interrupted him.

"I want to stay the night with you," Unum said. "Here, on this island."

Quindecim's heart thudded. "You can," he replied softly.

A storm brewed behind Unum's eyes, tremulous, his brows drawing together. But then he shook his head. "I can't."

Quindecim dropped Unum's hand, stepping back at last. "Then don't say something like that."

"But I want to."

"But you can't." And when Unum didn't reply, Quindecim gave a hurt little pout and turned away, fleeing to the food tables, even though he wasn't actually hungry. He watched Unum glare at the floor, then turn towards him, only to be called by one of his friends. With a last look at Quindecim, expression torn, Unum finally turned and left to attend to his guests.

Quindecim grabbed a plate, though the thought of food didn't really appeal to him. He did need to eat, though. He barely ate the night before, barely ate at breakfast, and was still low on energy after passing out earlier. Some macaroons and chocolate would give him a quick hit of energy, and when Tres and Alec came back into the room, he added some of the finger sausages to his plate as well.

"It all looks so good, doesn't it?" Quindecim said in a cute voice to a guy also picking at what the food table had to offer.

The guy startled a bit as he turned, like he hadn't expected Quindecim to speak. He was a bigger guy, on the burly side – probably one of Quattuor or Quinque's friends. "Yeah," he answered after a moment of pause. "It's delicious."

Quindecim smiled, tilting his head to expose his neck. "What's your favorite?"

"My... favorite?"

The guy was about as bright as Quattuor and Quinque as well. "Your favorite food," Quindecim said, giving a giggle. "I want to try your favorite."

Looking around for a second, like he couldn't believe Quindecim was talking to him, the guy then replied, "Uh... I like the steak."

"I'll try that, then," Quindecim said with a smile, reaching to add a slice of the cut steak to his plate. Shadow would love it.

When he turned away, he saw Alec watching him, though Tres seemed to have wandered off somewhere. That was perfect, because he couldn't do anything to Tres; if he tried and was caught, he would be ousted from the family, left to fend for himself on the street.

But Alec? Alec was a nobody, not family, not any concern.

He sauntered over to where Alec stood, picking up one of the sausages from his plate as he went and sticking the end of it in his mouth. He sucked on it a bit as he moved, shameless, then bit it in half just before he reached the other boy. Licking the juice of the meat from his lip, Quindecim asked in a low voice, "Will we be watching any movies tonight?" as he continued on past Alec.

He looked back once as he made his way over to where a cluster of boys sat on benches around a table. Alec's eyes were on him, following him. He smirked.

Some of the guys at the table looked up at him when he approached; some didn't pay him any mind. They were a weird mix of everyone's friends – people he had played cards with last night; people he had played 'chicken fight' with today – talking about politics and eating. Quindecim gave his cutesy smile to one of the boys, asking, "May I sit here?" and spread his legs to straddle the bench sideways when he was offered a seat. He didn't know enough about politics to join in the conversation, but he laughed when the others did, agreed with whatever they said, even if it was conflicting viewpoints, and let them tease him about his clear lack of knowledge regarding the current political arena.

When he sucked macaroon crumbs off of his fingertips, some of the guys went silent, squirming in their seats, while others laughed and teased at him "being all sexy," while Quindecim played innocent. It made it strikingly clear who was interested and who wasn't.

The whole time, Alec hovered. He never joined the table, never inserted himself in the conversation or tried to engage – he just hung around, pretending to check out the food table or going back for repeated drink refills. The whole time, his eyes remained on Quindecim.

Quindecim played cute and flirty with the boys at the table, to the point where Shadow rested his head on Quindecim's leg with a huff, jealousy flaring until Quindecim lavished pettings and food onto him. He hugged on Shadow, drawing him in to the cute little boy act, and rewarded the guys who commented on how smart and cool Shadow was with special smiles and thank yous.

When Alec disappeared down the hallway that led to the bathrooms, Quindecim immediately dropped all pretenses and stood up, excusing himself from the table.

He made his way to the bathroom slowly, allowing for plausible deniability about whether he had followed on purpose or not, Shadow following behind, as always. Alec was at the urinal when he went in, and Quindecim casually went to the one next to him, not saying anything as he unzipped to relieve himself.

Alec finished his business, tucked himself away, flushed the urinal. Then, for a moment, he just stood there, staring at the wall in front of him. Quindecim watched out of the corner of his eye, not looking at the predator-turned-prey directly, trying not to laugh at the confusion and frustration that had Alec's hand tapping against the lever of the urinal in front of him.

Finally, as if making a decision or growing some balls, Alec turned, staring hard as he said, "Yesterday, you insisted you weren't a fag and had no interest in sucking dick; today you're all over everyone. What gives?"

Finishing his own business, Quindecim flushed and then looked over his shoulder at Alec. "Tres is an asshole to me; of course I'm going to deny anything he says." Then he turned and headed toward the sinks to wash his hands. "And moreover-" he continued. "No one likes having a strange dick shoved in their face. Not even me." He glanced up to meet Alec's gaze in the over-sink mirror. "Things may have gone differently if you had been nice to me."

Alec watched him a moment, expression blank, until he either thought he would try again for the fun of it, or really just couldn't resist the nearly bare, pure body in front of him. In the mirror's reflection, Quindecim saw Alec's eyes travel down his frame, lingering on his backside before coming back up to again meet Quindecim's gaze. Unashamed, Alec smirked. "Am I being nice now?" He took a step forward, but stopped in his tracks when Shadow gave a warning growl.

"I'll have to think about that," Quindecim replied, shaking water droplets off his hands. "If I want you, I'll call for you."

Alec's expression darkened and Quindecim didn't care. He was mad – madder than when Alec had forced himself on him in this very bathroom. He was mad and he was tired and he was in control now. He would take care of this himself.

With a raise of his brow to Alec's reflection, Quindecim left the bathroom without another word.


	19. Chapter 19

He'd had the silly notion that, despite his words, perhaps Unum would show up at his cabin late in the evening and spend the night with him. Nobody would say anything; nobody would care or think anything of it. But instead, Quindecim woke up alone, with only Shadow by his side.

He ran his fingers through Shadow's sleek fur, his thumbs caressing the delicate spots under Shadow's eyes. Then he raised his hand and quietly commanded, "Change."

His stomach flipped – nothing he couldn't handle – and he waited with patiently held breath for the transformation to finish. As soon as it was complete, Shadow pounced, linking their fingers together.

Quindecim pulled his hand away so that he could slide his fingers up Shadow's bare arms, over his neck, cupping his face. Shadow's eyes seemed to glow, unable to smile with this face, but bright with happiness all the same.

"Comfort me," Quindecim whispered, and then he pulled Shadow down to him, pressing their lips together.

It was the first time he had done this with anyone besides Unum – the first time he had ever felt so close to someone other than his brother. Shadow's lips and hands and body were warm against him, and he pushed enthusiastically into the kiss, tail beating happily against the bed. Eventually, Quindecim had to break it off to laugh, burying his hands into Shadow's hair as the dog-turned-human snuggled as close as he could get.

"Aren't you needy?" Quindecim said with a smile, though he was the one who had been in need. He was thoroughly comforted.

When the sounds of cutlery clinking against serverware and the hiss of things frying in a pan drifted into his ear, Quindecim's smile slowly fell. He wouldn't be able to stay in this cabin, in this bed, forever. He would have to make a guest appearance to the outside world, and he would have to let them know that enough was enough, and it was best to leave him alone.

Shadow wouldn't be able to stay like this either, so with a reluctant command, Quindecim ordered the dog to change back, praising him when the order was followed. By the time he dragged himself out of bed and cleaned up, breakfast was ready, the table set for two and a bacon-filled bowl on the floor for Shadow.

While most of the family wouldn't be caught dead eating with their butlers, Quindecim rather liked taking meals with Jin. Though he was technically working, this was kind of like a vacation for Jin too, or at least Quindecim hoped he was taking his down-time to relax on the tropical island. In fact, that would be for the absolute best today.

"You can have the day off today," Quindecim said suddenly.

"I'm sorry?" Jin questioned, as if he hadn't heard right or couldn't believe his ears.

"Take the day off," Quindecim repeated before casually biting into a link of breakfast sausage. "It's our last full day here, and I want you to enjoy it."

"Young Master, it's hardly any-"

"I'll have lunch with Unum and the other guests. You don't need to look after me." Then, after a tense beat, he added, "I can take care of myself for one day."

If Jin suspected anything ulterior, he didn't voice it. Instead, he sat quietly for a moment, watching Quindecim as if trying to read him, before finally saying, "All right. Thank you for your consideration."

If anything, the sun was even hotter that day. It provided a great excuse to shed his beach jacket early on and spend some time in the water. When he emerged, slicking his hair back and feeling droplets race trails down his chest, he saw Alec watching him. He held his gaze a moment, tilted his head to expose his neck, then turned away, giving no other signs of invitation. It wasn't time yet.

Lunch came and went. Quindecim stuck by Unum, who seemed to be in a better mood, seeing Quindecim more awake than ever. He smiled and talked with the other guests, but he always, always, always kept an eye out for Alec, making sure he was watching. And Alec always was, as if the promise of _something_ kept his eyes stuck on Quindecim's body, like a dog begging for table scraps.

He played the sweet little brother until he couldn't stand himself anymore, and then he slipped away into the woods under the cover of the darkening sky.

The clearing, the cliff, the geological hole with a tide impossible to escape from – the area was easy to find. Quindecim crossed to the far side of the hole, looking down into it. It was difficult to see the bottom in the dying light, but as the tide rose, he could hear it. The more water that came in, the stronger it rushed out through whatever crack or crevice served as its escape route. He could hear the water being pulled back out like a gasping breath. It was eerie. He didn't want to listen to it anymore, the repetitive exhalation and gurgling inhalation of the tide, but he had set himself to a task that he needed to see though. He needed to wait.

Shadow appeared from the dark woods like a figment, seeming to meld into existence from the space between the trees. Alec came up from behind him, having apparently gotten the hint to follow. When he saw Quindecim standing there, he moved past Shadow, who stayed put at the edge of the clearing, approaching with a smirk blooming on his face.

"You really want this, don't ya?" Alec moved as if to go around the hole and get closer, but stopped when Quindecim moved in turn, keeping the pit between them. His smirk dipped and confusion creased his brow, but he didn't say anything more.

"I want to talk to you first," Quindecim replied simply.

"Get to know each other first?" Alec said, smirk returning full-force. "How romantic."

"Why do you follow Tres?"

Alec's smile fell completely, as if finally getting that this wasn't some romantic rendezvous with a boy desperate for attention and a dick to suck. Immediately on the defensive, he answered, "I don't _follow_ him. We're friends."

"You do anything he says."

"No, I fucking don't."

"You killed my dog."

Alec paused as if taken aback for a moment. Then he scowled, anger and guilt written visibly across his face. "Obviously, I didn't, since it's standing right over there."

"Shadow can't die," Quindecim said, laying it all out on the line. It wasn't like it would matter much longer if Alec knew, or even believed him.

"Bullshit," Alec sneered.

"It's true. If he's killed, he'll just come right back to life."

"That's _bullshit_!"

"Was he dead yesterday?" Quindecim asked, fury building again at the very thought. He squeezed his thumb in his fist to keep his cool as he continued. "Did you make sure you had actually killed him, or did you fail at that like you failed to force me to suck you off?"

"Oh, I killed him all right!" Alec stomped a step forward, though there wasn't anywhere to go with the hole in between them. "He was dead as _shit_ yesterday! And I'll kill him again! I'll fucking kill him as many times as I have to until it sticks!"

Quindecim could feel his face twisting in rage, despite how much he told himself not to let Alec get to him.

"And once that fucking animal is dead for good, I'm gonna rape the shit out of you and kill you, too!"

There had been words Quindecim wanted to say, hints of what was to come. He had wanted Alec to be scared, to fear for his life, but he didn't care about that anymore. There was only one word for him now.

Raising his hand, Quindecim pointed fingers at the figure before him.

"Push."

Alec had just enough time to raise a brow in confusion before his body was launched forward. It happened so suddenly, he didn't have time to keep his footing or control his fall – had no hope of grabbing anything for support or safety – and within a blink, his feet were out from under him and his body pitched into the dark hole. Shadow stood in his place, tail wagging, panting a smile.

He heard a splash, heard Alec curse. Crouching down, Quindecim looked down into the pit, finding Alec soaked, standing in crotch-deep water, and glaring with all the fury of Hell. "You little piece of _shit_," Alec growled. "Get me out of here."

"You killed my dog," Quindecim said blankly, almost robotically, not letting himself think about what he was doing.

"Get me _out_!"

"You forced yourself on me and threatened me."

"You little fu-!"

The water rushed from the hole, pulling Alec with it. It held him, more water coming in while the powerful undertow held him under until another wave of tide released him for a moment. Quindecim could see, then, how those moments would become shorter and shorter as the water ebbed and flowed and filled the hole.

Surfacing while he could, Alec gasped a loud "_Fuck_!" as he struggled for his breath. "Get me out of here! Please!"

Quindecim just tilted his head at him.

"Please!" Desperation colored Alec's eyes and voice; fear made him beg. "Please! I'll do anyth-!"

He was pulled under again. Quindecim waited, a worm starting to gnaw at his gut.

It took longer for Alec to resurface, fighting for breath. His fingers clawed at the slick rock that trapped him, sobs echoing up the walls of the hole. "_Help_!"

"You killed my dog."

"_Hel_-!"

"You killed my dog."

Alec's hand thrust from the rising water, only to quickly be dragged down again.

"You killed my dog.

You killed my dog.

You killed my dog."

It was after midnight before anyone noticed Alec missing.

Quindecim had gone back to the beach, telling Unum he had walked back to his cabin to use the bathroom in private when asked. And when Unum stared at him a moment, then asked if he was okay, Quindecim finally looked up to meet his brother's eyes, though he could only hold the gaze for a moment before looking away and answering that his stomach hurt. He promised to turn in early, after they had lit some fireworks.

And so he did. He waved a few sparklers, spelled out Shadow's name in the air, then when the gnashing guilt in his stomach got to be too much, he said goodnight and slunk back to his cabin on his own, feeling Unum's eyes weighing heavy on his back as he went.

He had gone to bed right away, though for the first time in eight years, sleep didn't come so easily. In the dark quiet of night, the gravity of what he had done began to suffocate him. He had been so angry, but the cracks in his psyche weren't yet large enough to shatter his conscience.

He had killed someone.

He had led someone to their end, knowingly gave the command that condemned them to the worst possible death, and left them there, begging and pleading for their life. There would be no coming back – not for Alec, nor for Quindecim.

Pressing his fists to his temples, Quindecim squeezed his eyes shut, trying to suppress the shaking that had began to wrack his body. Continuous thoughts of how he was a murderer, how he was going to get caught, how it would somehow ruin everything for Unum broke through his weak defenses and battered his mind. He was frightened.

Then gentle fingers took hold of his wrists – he hadn't even noticed the transformation, lost in his head as he was – and pulled his hands away. He opened his eyes just in time to see Shadow closing in only to close them again when Shadow's soft lips pressed to his.

He needed this, needed the warmth and comfort of someone he loved so much. It drove away all other thoughts – thoughts of his anger, thoughts of his fear, thoughts of his crime – until there was only this. Only Shadow, and their warm bed.

Shadow pressed closer, and closer, like he wanted to get as impossibly near Quindecim as he could be. His bare chest and arms blanketed Quindecim as he crawled over him on his hands and knees, sinking him deeper into the plush mattress, body swaying with the force of his wagging tail.

Quindecim opened his mouth, allowing Shadow inside. Deep kisses were rare, a level of closeness not often needed. But he needed it now, and he welcomed the touch of Shadow's tongue to his own. He led by example, guiding Shadow's attempts at lapping into his mouth into a more deliberate slide of tongue along tongue. Always a fast learner, Shadow soon understood, soon relaxed his body to lay on top of Quindecim fully as they kissed and kissed.

When Quindecim pulled back for a breath, Shadow chased after him, as if unbale to stand being apart for even a moment. Quindecim laughed, buried his fingers into Shadow's gorgeous black hair to scratch at his dog ears, and leaned up to kiss again.

Warm and comfortable, Quindecim began to feel the intimacy of what they were doing. When their tongues touched again, his dick pulsed, and Shadow suddenly jerked back. Still and focused, he had a look that Quindecim was familiar with; Shadow was thinking, trying to figure out what it was that just came through their link. They should probably stop this – stop kissing, stop tasting each other; at the very least, they should stop laying so close together. But he was so comfortable, so surrounded and safe.

Shadow's eyes moved down, looking at Quindecim again, and against his better judgement, Quindecim reached up to pull Shadow back to him. Just a little more. Just a little more, and he would stop.

He told himself that, but his body was enjoying the intimacy too much, was anxious for what followed a position like this. His dick began to throb, starting to lengthen and fill, and in response, Shadow whimpered. Hips rolling, pushing into the blanket between them, the lump of Shadow's groin began to grow heavy. And though Quindecim told himself again that this needed to stop, his arms slid around Shadow's neck to pull him even closer, drowning himself in the intoxicating kisses.

Then a knock sounded at the cabin's front door, and they both went still, tearing apart to stare at the bedroom's closed door. Shadow huffed a _woof_ but Quindecim shushed him, straining his ears to listen.

Another knock came, and Quindecim looked to the clock hanging on the wall, barely able to make out the hour in the darkness of the room. Though most of the party-goers had been at it well beyond this time each night of the celebration, there shouldn't have been any reason to disturb someone who had already turned in this late.

Shouldn't have been.

Shouldn't have been.

He heard Jin answer the door, heard the whisper of voices speaking too quietly for him to make out. The visitor's voice sounded almost like Unum, and Quindecim's heart thudded heavily. He should make Shadow change back, but something inside him really wanted to see the look on his brother's face if he were caught in bed with another man.

But Unum didn't come in, if that really even was him. Nobody came. The whispers filled mere moments and then the door closed, and then there was only silence. He didn't even hear Jin moving around in the cabin, returning to his own room. Just a heavy silence that told him he and Shadow were now alone in the cabin.

Letting out a slow breath, Quindecim let his head flop back into his pillow. His hand slid back into Shadow's hair, petting him, scratching at his scalp a moment before whispering a reluctant, "Change."

Shadow was only marginally lighter in his dog form – his _true_ form – but still easier to push off of himself when Quindecim wanted to roll over onto his side. It was easier to resist losing himself in kisses with this form as well, the canine mouth not able to fit against his so perfectly. He did give one more kiss, a soft, chaste peck beneath Shadow's eye, before he snuggled deeper into the covers. His dying erection needed no attention as he let exhaustion wash over him. He didn't want morning to come, but he knew it would.

He would deal with it then.


	20. Chapter 20

The circles under Jin's eyes looked like they could rival Quindecim's, though the food he cooked smelled as good as always. A glance toward the cabin's front door showed Jin's perfectly aligned shoes had bits of mud and dirt on them, proving the butler really had gone out in the wee hours of the night. Jin was calm, though, finished off the pancakes he worked on with a dollop of whipped cream and mixed berries. His hands worked as steady as always, no attempts to rush.

"I heard someone come to the door last night," Quindecim said, trying for casual, though he knew Jin would be able to see right through him. "Did something happen?"

Jin's hands slowed for a moment, but then he continued on taking the late breakfast to the dining table as he answered, "It seems one of Tres's guests has gone missing. A search party was assembled to look for him." He paused, setting the plate at Quindecim's tableplace before he finished with, "I told them you were feeling ill and couldn't join the search, so I went in your stead."

"Oh," Quindecim answered carefully. He sat in his chair, but kept his hands folded in his lap, appetite nowhere to be found. "Well... did they find him?"

"They did not," Jin replied. "But, it was very dark out. If he had simply lost his way somewhere, there is still a chance he could be found in the daylight."

Quindecim picked up his fork and stabbed at the pancakes, though he made no attempt to actually eat anything. "And if he wasn't simply lost?"

Jin was silent for a stretched moment, eyes fixed on Quindecim. The weight of his gaze had Quindecim put his fork down, unable to hold up both. The worm crawling in his gut turned, making itself known, making him feel sick. Then Jin finally answered, "That would be unfortunate," before moving to the front door to pick up his shoes, taking them outside to clean off.

Quindecim sat for several beats, willing himself not to puke up the bile that soured his stomach. Only after counting several deep breaths did the guilt and fear calm to lapping waves instead of a surging monsoon, and then he grabbed the plate of pancakes and set it on the floor for Shadow.

A large group was gathered outside the main cabin, for once the guests not all off doing their own thing. Unum and Duo, Quattuor and Quinque each stood on either side of Tres, who spoke in harsh, heated words. He seemed to be saying something about nobody leaving, no one moving an inch from the island until _something_, some kind of hint or evidence, was found. Quindecim neared in time to hear Unum reason that that wasn't possible, that people had lives to get on with that couldn’t be put on hold because of one unfortunate accident.

When Tres caught sight of Quindecim, he was on him in a flash. "What did you do to him!?" he yelled as he blazed past Quattuor and Quinque to get in Quindecim's face. Neither of them tried to stop him. "What did you _do_!?" His voice was a roar in Quindecim's ear, but he didn't dare touch with Unum and so many witnesses right there.

"Do to who?" Quindecim feigned ignorance, taking a timid step back. "I didn't do anything to anyone."

"Where the fuck is Alec!?"

Quindecim faked a flinch. "I don't know who that is."

"Did you have your fucking mutt attack him!? Rip him apart!?"

Unum stepped forward, a warning in his voice as he said, "Tres, knock it off."

"Don't think I'm not going to figure it out." Tres shoved a finger in Quindecim's face, making Shadow rumble a threatening growl. "And then I'm going to have that thing put down, and I'm gonna make you watch."

Quindecim frowned and didn't bother to hide it. It was normal to be upset by an attack, a _threat_, like that. "I don't know what you're talking about," he replied, keeping his voice even, though speaking loud enough for everyone to hear. "I don't even know any of your friends. Why would I? You didn't introduce me to anyone."

Tres's jaw snapped shut, unable to defend his accusation without incriminating himself.

"Why would I do anything to someone I don't even know?" He put a hand to Shadow's head, drawing his beloved pet closer to him as he waited for a response from Tres. When one never came, he gave a little crinkle to his nose and a '_hmph_'. "If you're going to accuse me of things, at least invent a believable reason first."

Tres bared his teeth, but they both knew he was stuck. He couldn't admit he had sent Alec to force himself on Quindecim in, likely, some grand attempt to steal his purity, and then kill his dog when that didn't work. So instead, he spat, "Because you're fucking _crazy_," and then he walked off, his group of friends following after.

Unum sighed, but then stepped up to take control. "We have a few more hours until the jets come to pick us up. Let's sweep the island again. Leave no stone unturned. He might still be alive and trapped somewhere."

At the order, everyone started moving, whispering amongst themselves as they scattered across the island. Quindecim wondered what they would find.

"Can your dog follow Alec's scent?" one of the guys asked Quindecim as he moved to join in the search.

"Not really," he answered. "He hasn't been trained to track."

"Ah, that's too bad," the guy said, not doubting Quindecim's reply at all.

Perhaps he should have stuck to the beach, avoided the woods, the cliff, completely. His feet just started wandering that way, following others. Even when Jin appeared by his side, staff and servants being recruited for the search, and said a quiet, "Young Master" like a warning, Quindecim continued towards the scene of the crime. As long as he was just following others, there shouldn't be any reason to suspect him of anything.

The hole loomed when they emerged from the woods. It was hard to imagine nobody had checked it yet; it was one of the most obvious places for someone to get trapped. It wasn't like it was hidden. Yet no announcements of anything having been found came, no calls for assistance or a ladder, no screams at having discovered a drowned and bloated body with its leg torn off and wedged into the crease between sandy floor and stone prison. It was the most obvious place to look, but no one seemed to have found anything, and when he looked around, Quindecim saw the other searchers still taking careful stock of the trees around the clearing, a couple less serious guys at the edge of the cliff, taking in the view, as if putting it off for someone else to check.

He approached the hole cautiously, almost afraid of what he would find inside. He didn't want to see a dead body, even if it was his own doing. He didn't want to see Alec's blank and empty eyes staring soulless up at him, accusing him, pointing at the culprit. He didn't want to see the dirty gray skin of his victim, chunks missing from whatever hungry bird or fish or barnacle had managed to worm its way into the hole to feast on the helpless flesh trapped within. He didn't want to see the results of his heinous deed, even if perhaps he deserved to.

Or would it be worse to look in and find Alec alive? To find he had survived the ordeal, and would tell everyone what Quindecim had done?

He couldn’t stop his steps, though. Shadow pressed against his legs, and together they faced the outcome of their actions. The hole called to them, demanding they pay the price and look at what they had done. Dread made his fingers curl as he got closer, close enough to lean forward and peer with held breath into the stony grave.

It was empty.

There was nothing. No body, no evidence, not a scrap of cloth or hair or fingernail. There was nothing at all. Even the mud at the bottom was undisturbed, smoothed over by the receding water.

Slowly, Quindecim turned to find Jin staring at him with a fierce and heavy gaze.

The flight home was long. No hide nor hair of Alec had been found, and they left the island with whispers and conjecture of what could have happened. Tres had yelled one more time that he just _knew_ Quindecim had done something and that he would have him put away, but no one outside of Tres's group of friends seemed to find any weight to the accusation. Most people seemed to think Alec had gotten drunk and wandered out to sea. Either way, the authorities would be flown in to investigate, and everyone in attendance would be interviewed at a later date.

Quindecim hung on Shadow during the flight. He desperately wanted to ask Jin what he had found in the darkness of night, what he had done, if he had indeed found or done anything. But there wasn't time, and it didn't matter. It was done and over with; he had taken care of a tormentor himself, just as Father always told him to.

He didn't feel especially proud of himself.


	21. Chapter 21

Worms.

There were worms, crawling through the dirt, fighting to get out, to see the sunlight. Worms twisted around each other in their blind flight, tying themselves into knots that pulled tighter and tighter as they squirmed. They choked themselves and each other.

Worms distorted and turned into fingers that dug through the dirt, trying to climb their way to freedom. The pushed shit and soil aside for his face to break through, but the clawed hands wrapped tight around his ankles pulled him back down. He opened his mouth to scream, and the worms poured in.

He sat up with a start, heart pounding rapidly. He could practically taste the dirt on his tongue, the nightmare so vivid.

Looking around slowly as his pulse and breathing calmed, he saw the classroom mostly empty, just a few other students getting a head start on their homework or chit-chatting with friends. Nobody paid him any mind.

Quindecim stood, gathering his books and shoving them into his bag. He would sleep better at home.

He had almost made it to the school's front doors and freedom when someone grabbed the collar of his blazer and yanked, nearly pulling him off of his feet. Whipping around with a glare, he was faced with Brent Katze and his gaggle of idiots, minus the girls who usually hung all over them.

"What do you want?" Quindecim snapped, defenses up.

"Need to talk to you," Brent replied. His usual smirk was on his face, but his eyes held a violently churning darkness; nothing good would come from this.

"Well, I _don't_ need to talk to you." Quindecim turned, determined to get out the door and to Shadow's protective side, but a hand grabbed his arm in an excruciating grip, jerking him around.

"It doesn't work like that, _Fürst_," Brent sneered into his face.

Quindecim tugged his arm, trying and failing to break free of the grip. "Let go of me!" He looked around, but there were no teachers in the area, and the students who were around just turned away, not about to get the attention turned on themselves. He was on his own, no help or heroes. "Leave me alone!"

"I can't do that," Brent said as he began to lead Quindecim away. A hand clamping over Quindecim's mouth cut off any further protests, while one of the other guys pushing from behind made sure he kept moving. "See, Fürst," Brent continued as they walked towards the back of the school's main building. "I really, really hate you. I hate everything about you. I hate your pretty face and I hate your smart mouth. I hate your stupid haircut and that gross little mole under your eye. You're disgusting, you know that?"

Quindecim glared, but it went unseen. He shook his head, trying to get Brent's nasty hand off of his mouth, but it was a useless endeavor. When one of the guys from behind shoved him, he stumbled, but Brent's hold kept him from falling, though it came with a bit of purposely jerking him around.

"God, and I _hate_ how you always flaunt how much money you have."

He never did.

"We get it; you're loaded. You don't need to show it off all the time."

Brent was either delusional or making up excuses to be a dick. Everyone at Marble Hills had more money than they knew what to do with, and Quindecim flaunted his wealth the least of any of them. He never wore flashy, expensive watches or accessories. He wore the standard uniform without any embellishments, and wore modest shoes. He never carried fancy electronics or handheld games or anything to indicate he had more money than anyone else – even though he did, in fact, have more money than them – because he didn't care about any of those things.

Brent was just jealous and making excuses to justify his jealousy. He was as bad as Tres, but even worse. At least Tres couldn't do anything against Quindecim directly without consequence. But Brent Katze had nothing holding him back from dragging Quindecim out a rear door, yanking him around roughly as they headed to the far side of the baseball team's equipment storage shed.

Being outside, though, was the best thing they could have done for Quindecim. With no doors between them and Quindecim's distress flooding their link, it would only be a matter of time.

Slamming him against the storage shed, Brent leaned in close, reeking of pot and expensive cologne, a combination that stank almost as bad as his attitude. "I hate your shitty family that dares raise the cost of their land. And for what? Environmental compensation? Bullshit." He spat on the ground, close enough to Quindecim's shoe that he was probably aiming for it. "Oh, but it was allowed, since you've got Senator Corvid in your pocket, and his daughter in your bed."

"That doesn't have anything to do with me," Quindecim tried, though it wasn't likely to do any good. At least now he knew what was going on, even if it didn't help the situation any. "Those lands are controlled by a different branch of the family."

Brent grabbed a fistful of his blazer and used it to slam him against the shed again, knocking the wind from him. "I don't care! I'm going to show them what happens when they wake up the big cats."

Then Brent pulled back a fist, but paused when a loud snarl tore across the grounds. Turning his head, Quindecim saw Shadow racing around the corner of the main building, teeth bared, ready to fight.

Brent grinned, and Quindecim's heart froze.

"Sha- Shadow, no!"

It was too late. Shadow leapt, out for blood, just as one of Brent's goons pulled a wooden baseball bat from the other side of the shed, raising it in perfect posture.

"Batter's up!"

The bat collided with Shadow's skull with a sickening '_thud_' and a loud yelp. He hit the ground hard, yelping and twitching while Brent and his gang cheered. They laughed when the guy held the bat as though it were a golf club, miming adjusting his stance and testing the wind before swinging and smashing the bat into Shadow's ribcage.

"Shadow..." Quindecim tried to cry out, but his energy was draining fast. His eyes felt hot; his heart was breaking. Even knowing it wouldn't be permanent, seeing the abuse, seeing Shadow in such pain... He couldn't stand it.

A bite of fury snapped through him, and Quindecim used what little strength he had left to launch forward and headbutt Brent in the face. He heard a satisfying '_crunch_', felt warmth smear across his forehead. When he fell back, he saw Brent holding his nose with rage blazing in his eyes.

"You little piece of _shit_!" Brent snarled. Then his hands shot out, one covered in blood from his busted nose, to grab Quindecim by the hair and jerk his head around, pulling cries of pain from him as his scalp felt like it was on fire. Punches landed on his face next, and he brought his hands up to protect his head from the abuse.

"Holy shit, the dog's still alive," someone said.

"Well, hit it again," another replied.

Quindecim couldn't even raise his head or his voice to tell them to leave Shadow alone, that they were all garbage, that he was going to kill them someday. As kicks to his body joined the blows to his head, he could only curl into a protective ball and pray that he survived this, for his and Shadow's sake both.

Shadow cried, Quindecim screamed, and then everything went black.

He awoke to moaning and rustling and a scent of tea that were all just on the very cusp of familiar. He opened his eyes to see a white room that wasn't his own and the shocked and blushing face of Professor Koe.

Quindecim had just started to get out a "Wha-?" when the teacher suddenly flew back, sputtering nonsense and standing up straight, turning his back to the bed that Quindecim lay on.

"Mamoru?" he started, but when the memory of what happened hit him, he shot up straight in the plush bed. "Shadow! Where's Shadow!?"

"Quindecim, please," Professor Koe started, turning back. His face was pink, flushed, and his brows were knit with worry. "You were beaten rather badly. You shouldn't move too much."

"Where's my dog!?" Quindecim demanded. "Where's Shadow!?"

Professor Koe put his hands up, placating, and took a step forward. "The dog was in bad shape too..."

"Don't tell me you just left him!"

"There was nothing I could do!" Then Professor Koe kneeled by the bed, looking up earnestly, as if about to pledge his life to a teenager. "I had to make sure you were okay." His voice was thick, a grown man on the verge of tears.

"I need to see my dog."

Professor Koe just shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry. It was already too late when I found you."

Except it couldn't have been. For Quindecim to even be awake right then meant Shadow must have healed; he must be okay. He needed to get home to see him. So he calmed himself with a couple of deep breaths, and then asked, "Where am I?"

"You're in my home," Professor Koe answered, rising to sit next to Quindecim on the bed. "I brought you here."

He could feel the scowl begin to form over his features. "You didn't take me to a hospital?"

Professor Koe blinked at him several times as his face tinged pink again. "I'm a doctor."

It made sense outwardly. Why bother with a hospital that may require a wait for an available bed and parental consent for treatment when he could just take care of Quindecim himself? But there was something off about everything and the look in Professor Koe's eyes.

"Did you... call my family?"

"Not... yet. I-! I had to take care of you."

It felt like there was a stone in Quindecim's stomach, a heavy and uncomfortable lump. Perhaps he had played with the man a little too much. "How long was I asleep?"

"... A day."

"A day!?" He hadn't meant to raise his voice, though he didn't feel bad when Professor Koe flinched. "I was unconscious a whole day and you never called my family!?"

"I had to take care of you!" He looked like a scolded puppy. "I didn't leave your side, I promise."

It fell silent for a moment as Quindecim considered the best course of action. His former teacher had lost it, though whether it was from "saving" Quindecim or finally having him in his home, in his bed, or from something else entirely, he had no way of knowing. He really had no one to blame but himself, though; he had been having so much fun bending the man, it was only a matter of time before he broke.

He had been stripped, wearing nothing but his unbuttoned uniform shirt and his briefs. His body hurt from the beating at Brent's hands, but his backside didn't feel as though he had been violated in his sleep. His purity was intact, probably – if not, his family would do more than break the bumbling professor.

But his wounds had, indeed, been treated. Professor Koe wasn't out to hurt him. So he put on a soft expression and a cute voice, near batting his eyelashes as he asked, "Could you call my family for me? Or give me my phone so I can call them myself?"

"I... think you should stay here until your wounds are healed," Professor Koe replied cautiously. "You were hurt very badly."

"I will," Quindecim said. "I'll stay right here until I'm all better. But if I don't call my family, they'll be worried, and they might come looking for me."

"It'll be okay," Professor Koe responded with a soft smile that didn't match his words. "Nobody saw me bring you here, so even if they look, they won't find you." Then he took Quindecim's hands in his own, holding them to his lips. "You'll be safe here." And he kissed Quindecim's fingers. "Nobody will be able to harm you ever again."

He had the sneaking suspicion he wouldn't be allowed to leave even after he was fully healed. Not that what Professor Koe wanted mattered. Jin and Shadow would be able to find him even if he had been hidden on the other side of the world. He just needed to wait for them to realize he needed to be found.

"I..." Quindecim smiled, putting on a sheepish look. "I'm a little hungry. Is there anything to eat?"

Professor Koe jumped to his feet. "Yes! I'll bring you something." He squeezed Quindecim's hands one final time, saying, "Don't go anywhere."

Quindecim held his smile as the older man backed out the bedroom door, nearly tripping over his own feet in the process, but as soon as he was alone and the door closed, the smile fell. His eyes searched the room he was in, but there was no sign of his clothes or his phone anywhere. If his stuff had been brought at all, it was kept elsewhere, so carefully, trying not to disturb his aching wounds or make too much noise, he pushed the covers aside and slid out of bed.

It wasn't the best idea he'd ever had. His body ached so badly, he almost collapsed once he made it to his feet. Brent and his band of bitches had really done a number on him this time, and it was tempting to listen to _Doctor_ Koe's advice and just stay in bed until he was healed. But he had to go; he had to get home, had to see Shadow and verify with his own eyes that he was alright.

He fought to put one foot in front of the other, slowly making his way to the door. When he could, he held on to furniture, putting his weight on a dresser or one of many bookshelves around the room as he went. He would pause to catch his breath and rifle through things, looking for his bag or his clothes or a phone. There was only books and more books, mostly medical journals and biology texts.

Well, whatever. He would get out and search elsewhere, and if he never found his stuff, he would wait. Jin would come – he always did.

When he reached the doorknob, he turned it slowly, quietly. It moved maybe a centimeter and then stopped. A little more force, forgoing stealth, yielded no more results, and it hit him belatedly that the door had been locked. He was locked in, Professor Koe making sure he stayed put whether he agreed to or not.

Quindecim scowled, but it quickly wiped off his face when he heard footsteps from outside the door. He had to get back into bed, but his battered legs wouldn't move quickly enough. Pain screamed through his hips and thighs as he tried forcing his legs to obey, but his body gave out. He collapsed to the floor in the middle of the room just as the door lock clicked open and Professor Koe entered.

Eyes going wide behind his glasses, Professor Koe quickly set down the tray he had been carrying and rushed to Quindecim's side. "Why are you out of bed!? You need to rest!"

"Sorry," Quindecim replied, allowing his voice to sound weaker than he felt. "I needed to use the bathroom, but I didn't get very far." He gave a wan smile.

Professor Koe smiled back, something soft and fond. "If you need to go, I'll help you."

"No way!" Quindecim giggled, making himself sick. "That would be way too embarrassing."

"Nonsense. I'm a doctor; it's part of my job." He slid his arms under Quindecim's legs and around his back, easily lifting him from the floor to carry him back to the bed.

"Do you even see patients anymore?" Quindecim asked, wrapping his arms around the teacher's neck. He would keep up the cute and flirty act; it was likely his best chance for getting out safe and soon. "I thought you only teach." He played with the hair at the back of Professor Koe's neck, making the older man shudder.

"I work at the hospital one day a week," Professor Koe answered in a voice that was quickly growing rough. "And I do my research in my spare time. The rest of the time, I teach." He laid Quindecim on the bed, head resting on the plush pillow, and then hovered over him for a stretched moment.

Quindecim perked his smile a bit. "Sounds busy."

"I... enjoy being busy..."

"Is that so?" Quindecim blinked slowly.

Swallowing thickly, Professor Koe stared for a moment, eyes moving down to linger on Quindecim's mouth before he pulled himself away. "Ye- Yes," he said as he moved to where he had hastily set the tray of food. "It's invigorating to be busy." He set the tray on a bedside table as Quindecim sat up, showing it to hold a cut sandwich, some potato chips, and a bowl of tomato soup – a bachelor's meal, Quindecim guessed. "Please, eat."

"You're not going to feed me?" Quindecim gave a playful pout, though the act made him feel like a complete fool.

Professor Koe's cheeks flushed as his eyes widened, but then he hesitantly took the soup bowl in his hands. He blew on the spoonful he scooped up to cool it before bringing it to Quindecim's waiting mouth. Quindecim took it in, holding Professor Koe's gaze as he swallowed the soup, let his tongue flick over the spoon as it was pulled away. Despite the circumstances, the red hue the older man's face took on was amusing.

"I will tell the school what those boys have been doing to you," Professor Koe said after several silent spoonfuls. "They need to be punished."

Quindecim swallowed. "Doesn't the Katze Biomedical Foundation fund your research?"

"I can get the funds elsewhere," Professor Koe answered with a gentle smile. "Or if I must, I can give up my research."

Eyes moving away, Quindecim fell silent for a moment before replying, "You shouldn't do that for me." That much, at least, wasn't an act.

Professor Koe just smiled as he returned the soup bowl to the tray, taking up a sandwich half. "You are a good, pure boy. I'll take care of you from now on, so don't worry about anything."

If the situation were different, he may have found it sweet. It was so rare for anyone to want to protect him or stand up for him, he may have begun to include the teacher in the small circle of people he trusted. But coming from someone who had locked him in a room with no intention of letting him out any time soon and made sure nobody knew he was there... Sweet wasn't the word that came to mind. Obsessed and dangerous seemed the better descriptors.

Quindecim let the sandwich be fed to him silently. He didn't think he would be hurt – Professor Koe had never shown violence or temper – but he didn't want to test that. Not now, when he was already so battered.

When the last of the sandwich had been swallowed, Professor Koe smiled, looking as though taking care of Quindecim gave him a reason to live. Then he took a napkin from the tray, moving to wipe a stray bit of peanut butter that had gotten on his finger during the feeding, until Quindecim caught his hand.

He had to buy time, had to keep his captor off-guard.

Pulling the hand towards his mouth, Quindecim licked along the elegant finger, tasting the peanut butter and something mustier. Then he took the finger into his mouth, and Professor Koe's eyes shot wide.

"Don't-!" Professor Koe yelped as he snatched his hand back, scraping knuckles along Quindecim's teeth, and held it to his chest as if inured. "It's- It's dirty."

Yet, there was no resistance when Quindecim reached out and pulled the hand to him again. "Let me," he murmured, then slid the long finger into his mouth again. He sucked on the digit, running his tongue along the length to play with the tip. Then he opened his mouth, blatant and lewd as he again ran his tongue from knuckle to nail before he closed his lips around just the fingertip to nurse on it.

Professor Koe moaned, body moving almost imperceivably, hips rocking minutely against the bed. He gasped out loud when Quindecim's lips slid down the length of his finger, taking him all the way in to the first knuckle, bobbing his head as he sucked the finger off. His breathing hitched, sounding as though he were about to come just from this.

"Quindecim, please..." He sounded like he was being tortured. "Please stop."

Quindecim didn't stop, didn't slow down, didn't let his captor go. He sucked harder on the finger, giving a moan of his own. His body was starting to feel it too, growing warm. Perhaps losing his purity now wouldn't be an awful thing. It wouldn't be his fault – he had basically been kidnapped.

When he opened his mouth again to show what his tongue could do, Professor Koe pulled his hand back again. Quindecim looked up to meet his gaze, finding the man a panting, blushing mess. Heavy breaths hung in the air between them, until Professor Koe suddenly leaned forward, pushing Quindecim down onto the bed. He held Quindecim's wrists down, squeezing them tight in those elegant fingers as he tried to get control of himself. His pained expression was rather beautiful.

"Wh-Why are you doing this to me?" Professor Koe whispered.

Quindecim just smiled. "You can do it if you want."

"But... You're a virgin..."

"So?"

Professor Koe croaked out a pained sound, like his mind and body were at war with each other and it was tearing him apart from the inside. At this rate, he would be completely broken before too long. Maybe Quindecim could go home then.

"I can't," Professor Koe said, voice heavy with lust. "It's... a treasure, your virginity. I-" He swallowed. "I have to protect it."

He wanted to roll his eyes, so tired of people acting like his purity was all he was good for – like it made him different or special somehow, just because it was so bright. But he couldn't break the spell he had his teacher under, couldn't drop his sweet little boy act. Now, more than ever, he had to keep stringing the man along, even though that was what got him into this mess in the first place.

"You're aching, though, aren't you?" Quindecim said. "You need release."

"I..."

Quindecim's eyes narrowed as his smile turned up. "Touch yourself."

"I- What?"

"Touch yourself," he repeated. It was a gentle command, but a command all the same. "You can look at me while you do it."

The older man's voice was a broken moan as he whimpered out, "Quindecim..."

"I want to watch you, _Mamoru_."

Professor Koe's grip on his wrists squeeze tighter, almost to the point of being painful, and then something like a sob escaped the man's throat and he pulled back. Climbing up on the bed, planting knees on either side of Quindecim's legs, Professor Koe's hand slid to the fly of his slacks, tentatively unfastening the button. "I won't touch you," he promised, shaking his head a few beats as he quietly lowered his zipper. "I'll make sure you stay pure forever."

Despite his words, Professor Koe's cock was hard and already leaking precum when he slipped it out of his pants, aching like it wanted to destroy Quindecim's purity right then. A drop of clear liquid drizzled from the tip, onto Quindecim's leg, as Professor Koe began to slowly stroke the length. It seemed to set the man off even more, moaning as his fingers flexed tighter around his dick, the thumb of his other hand coming up to rub the droplet into Quindecim's skin. It was like he was marking him.

Then Professor Koe's eyes moved up to Quindecim's face. His cheeks flushed hotter as his hand moved faster. "Beautiful..." he whispered. "You're so beautiful." He gasped, hips thrusting against his own grip, the same moaning and rustling sounds Quindecim had woken up to.

"Did you do this while I was asleep?" Quindecim asked. His hands were still lying on either side of his head, but he moved them down to his shirt, sliding the unbuttoned hems open to expose his chest.

Professor Koe groaned a strangled noise, then panted out, "I-! I didn't touch you!" He moaned again, hand tugging himself harder while his other hand gripped Quindecim's knee tightly. "I promise!"

"It's okay," Quindecim replied. "I believe you." Then he moved his hands to his nipples, thumbing the buds into hard pebbles, heating up his own erection. He gave a small moan, mostly for show, though the stimulation to his chest did feel nice. "Are you going to come?"

Gasping like his voice had been stolen away, Professor Koe began to nod. "I'm-" He panted, breath quickening. "I'm close."

"You can do it on me," Quindecim said in a low, soft voice. He tugged on his nipples harder, pinching them sore. "On my chest, or on my face."

Professor Koe's eyes went blank like his mind had completely broken. Like there was nothing left in the world except endless pleasure. He was helpless to it, a prisoner who could do nothing more than moan like a whore and pump his own cock over a young boy. He hadn't deserved it, but he had been broken.

The door slammed open with fury and rage. Quindecim was almost disappointed, but he wanted to see Shadow more than anything. Hearing his deep barks already warmed Quindecim's heart.

Professor Koe didn't seem to notice the intruders. All he could do was chase his pleasure, stroking himself while staring blankly at Quindecim's face, brows drawn up in a lovely expression of lust and torture. He didn't notice the barking dog or the figure that raced up from behind him on pounding footsteps.

It wasn't Jin who appeared from over the teacher's shoulder, like Quindecim thought it would be. It was Unum who had come, a dangerous, possessive storm raging in his eyes, and Quindecim felt just a tad more sorry for his unwitting captor.

With a strength he hadn't known Unum had, he watched as Professor Koe was yanked back by the shoulder, then lifted right off the bed by a fistful of his shirtfront. Faces inches apart, Unum breathed fury, his glare hot enough to scald.

Then a dim light seemed to come back into Professor Koe's eyes, coming back to himself just enough to utter a blank, "Unum... von Fürst."

Unum jerked the older man closer, growling into his face. "If you _ever_ go near my little brother again," he hissed. "You will regret it for the rest of your life." He shook Professor Koe's unresponsive form like an abused ragdoll. "Do you hear me!? You will wish you were _dead_ when I finish with you!" But when no reply came, he simply shoved the other man to the floor and turned back to the bed.

Quindecim shrunk back. He had never seen Unum so angry before. But when Unum rushed forward to envelope him in a tight embrace, Quindecim melted into him. They held each other, Unum shuddering like Quindecim had never seen or felt before. Then finally, Unum whispered, "I was scared. Shadow came home without you and we waited and waited, but you didn't show up. Jin tried tracking your phone, but it must be off or dead. We were so sure something happened to you."

"A lot happened to me," Quindecim replied, rubbing his cheek against his brother's shoulder. "I want to go home."

"Okay." Unum pulled back just enough to run his hands up and cup Quindecim's face. His thumb brushed softly under Quindecim's eye and it stung, probably bruised black and blue. Quindecim had no idea what he looked like right then, but Unum still gazed at him like he was everything.

The moment was interrupted by screaming. Having spotted Shadow at last, Professor Koe's eyes, were blown wide open and terrified, bloodshot with fear. He scrambled in his seated position, pressing against the nightstand in an attempt to get as far away from Shadow as possible. "Th- That dog!" he cried, voice shaking. "It was dead! That dog was dead!"

Quindecim and Unum looked at each other, and Quindecim shrugged like the teacher had absolutely lost it, because clearly Shadow wasn't dead. That's as far as Unum needed to know.

Then Unum slipped the long coat he wore off and wrapped it around Quindecim's shoulders. "Let's go home," he said softly, just barely heard over Professor Koe's screams. Helping Quindecim slide to the edge of the bed, Unum then asked, "Can you walk?"

"Barely," Quindecim answered as he stretched to touch his feet to the floor. Together, they got him standing, and with Unum's arm around him for support, he was able to step away from the bed.

"It was dead!" Professor Koe continued to chant, cowering. "It was dead! That dog was dead!" He didn't even seem to notice his captive toy limping away, out of the room, out of the house, out of his life.

A car was waiting, running and warm. Quindecim spent the whole ride home with Unum's arms around his waist, his own arms around Shadow. He kept his face buried in Shadow's soft neck, trying to ward off nightmares of his beloved dog being cracked in the skull with a baseball bat – trying to forget Shadow's cries and the way his brain-damaged body had spasmed and convulsed on the ground. The ride was silent, but the closer they got, the tighter Unum's arms held him, until it hurt. His wounds moaned in pain, but he didn't say anything.

Unum carried him when they arrived at the manor, warding off all attempts to help and ordering that they be left alone until further notice, sending even Jin away. Jin looked as upset by that as Quindecim felt, but Unum's word was absolute. When they were outside Quindecim's bedroom, Unum looked to Shadow, forming a fist with the hand supporting Quindecim's back as he gave the command, "Guard." And Shadow's eyes instantly went alert, sitting with a rigid posture, gaze scanning the hallway. Nobody would come near the door without a fight.

The door was kicked closed once they had entered, and then Unum moved to sit Quindecim carefully on the bed, the second time a man had done so that day. The comparison didn't help.

Slipping the coat off of his shoulders, Unum pushed open Quindecim's shirt, running hands over his body, touching every cut and scrape and bruise. Quindecim groaned softly as pain thrummed through him at each press of Unum's fingers, but he didn't protest. Unum would do what he wanted.

Those hands came up to run through his hair, slide over his cheeks, trace down his neckline, touching, touching, touching, until he was satisfied. Then finally, he asked, "Did he take you by force? Or drug you?"

"No," Quindecim said on a sigh, pushing Unum's hands away. "I was beat unconscious by some boys at school. He saved me and treated me."

Cold fury like he had never seen before passed through Unum's eyes. "Who? I will deal with them."

"Father says I have to deal with them myself."

A snarl flitted over Unum's lip, but it passed, and his hands want back to Quindecim's shoulders. "And that man, did he touch you?"

Quindecim's eyes slid away. "No, but... If he had tried... I might have let him..."

He probably shouldn't have said that. If Unum looked angry before, the rage that burned through him now was terrifying. His hands gripped Quindecim's shoulders in an ever-tightening grip, fingers digging into his flesh until Quindecim hissed and jerked back in pain. "You mustn't!" Unum snapped. His grip moved to Quindecim's arms, hands circling almost completely around thin biceps. "You mustn't let anyone else touch you! Ever!"

"It's my fault he got like that," Quindecim said, fighting his brother's hold, though only weakly. "I teased him too much. I seduced him until he couldn't help it."

"No!" Unum yanked him closer. "It's not your fault. You can't help the way that you are."

Quindecim pulled back again, tugging an arm free, for all the good it did. Unum's hand just moved to Quindecim's face, and he looked away again as his voice went quiet with, "My actions have consequences."

Alec's terrified eyes flashed in his mind, begging for help before being swallowed up.

"_Quindecim_." The fury in Unum's face was gone, replaced by something desperate. "Your beautiful purity draws people to you. That's not your fault." Then he leaned down, pressing his lips to Quindecim's. He kissed him again and again, desperately.

Quindecim pushed him away. "I don't need your comfort." Didn't deserve it.

Unum looked into his face, brows drawn up, eyes wet. His head shook lightly. "You're not the one being comforted." Then he moved in again, pressing a kiss to Quindecim's neck, nipping at his collarbone, down further still to suck a pink nipple between his teeth before sliding to his knees between Quindecim's legs.

Ah, so it was like that.

It wasn't often, but sometimes Unum needed this, needed to have Quindecim so close, pleasure and pain at the mercy of Unum's mouth. The ultimate comfort, he couldn't remember when or why they had first done it. Perhaps it was after his first sleeping spell – a week-long coma after Shadow had gotten into a fight with a mountain lion – or maybe it was even earlier. It didn't matter. All that mattered was that he was the only one who could do this for Unum.

His briefs were slipped from his legs and cast aside; his cock was gazed at with reverence and affection. Unum kissed his way up the inside of Quindecim's thigh before re-tracing the laid path with his tongue. His hands followed, sliding up Quindecim's legs to rub circles in his thighs with his thumbs, his face burying into Quindecim's groin. He kissed the crease between Quindecim's leg and pelvis, then turned his head to kiss the base of Quindecim's dick.

Arousal lit up in Quindecim as he watched his brother nuzzling around his cock through half-lidded eyes. He could almost feel the blood rushing to his groin, taking all the bad thoughts and memories with it. His dick swelled to aching, knowing what was to come and needing it. It was for Unum's comfort, and Quindecim wanted nothing more than to give everything to his beloved brother.

Unum looked pleased and almost relieved when Quindecim's erection filled, so aching and hard it stood up straight. He licked a long stripe up the underside, Quindecim gasping at the first touch of Unum's tongue, and then a line of kisses traveled back down the length. Then a hand slid up, taking hold of the needy erection and squeezing it gently as Unum glanced up to meet Quindecim's gaze for only a moment, his blue eyes gone dark with lust, and then he leaned in to wrap his lips round the tip of Quindecim's dick.

He couldn't stop the keening sound that fell from his mouth. He wanted to thrust into the awaiting pleasure, mindlessly take what was being offered; he wanted to hold Unum back, leave himself stuck with the suffering he deserved while the release he needed was kept just out of reach. He didn't do either of those things. Instead, he held still and let Unum do as he wished, like he always did.

For a while, Unum just nursed on the engorged cockhead, sucking gently, sometimes running his tongue over the slit, sometimes probing inside. It was such a localized sort of pleasure, it drove Quindecim crazy, silently begging for it to spread and consume him. But Unum stayed right there, suckling on the tip as though it were the only sustenance he would ever need for an eternity, until Quindecim couldn't take it anymore.

"Unum..." he whispered. "Please..."

Unum gave a final suck, then pulled off the cockhead with a smack, followed by a long lick over the slit with a broad stroke of his tongue. His hand pumped the throbbing erection lightly while he looked up again. "Please what?"

"Don't tease me," Quindecim answered in a moaned whine. Then he added, "I'm injured."

Unum laughed, still stroking Quindecim's cock. "I'm sorry," he said, though he didn't look so at all. "I'll try to be nice." Then he leaned in again, swallowing Quindecim down, lips gliding hot and wet down Quindecim's cock until his nose buried into the brush of silvery pubic hair.

Quindecim choked at the sudden onslaught of heat and pleasure that engulfed his dick and made his toes curl. He didn't even have time to shudder before Unum drew his mouth back to suck a drop from his tip before sliding down once more. Head bobbing up and down in Quindecim's lap, Unum set a pace that drew the lewdest moans and whimpers from Quindecim's throat. Unum's tongue sliding along his cock had Quindecim's eyelids fluttering shut and his hands gripping the blanket beneath him. His thighs twitched, but he didn't dare let them squeeze closed.

Unum took all of him, from tip to base to heart to mind. All of Quindecim's stark raving thoughts were of Unum, his beloved big brother, and what Unum's mouth could do to him. His body burned with need; his voice pitched up like a wanton whore; his balls throbbed, rushing towards release.

Then all at once, all too soon, Unum was gone. Quindecim cried out at the sudden loss, slumping forward as if to curl in on himself. Unum's hand continued to pump him in light, feather strokes, but it wasn't enough. He whimpered at the cruelty of it.

"After I'm married..." Unum said softly, and Quindecim cracked open his eyes to see Unum staring blankly at his groin with eyes dark as sapphires. "After I'm married and have done my duty to produce the next heir... I want you to come live with me."

Quindecim's breath caught, though his dick continued to throb.

"We'll say you're working as my assistant, and that I need you to live on my estate with me." Unum looked up then, eyes gone sharp and desperate. "And then I can have you. I'll have you for real, any time I want." He tilted his head just enough to lick a stripe up the side of Quindecim's erection before pleading, "_Please_. I want to have you in every way."

It was unfair, an awful thing to ask when Quindecim couldn't think straight, so tired and needy. It was absurd; they would never get away with it. Yet, the only words his lust-addled mind could come up with were, "But... my purity..."

"It's mine," Unum replied with a smile as he nuzzled his cheek against Quindecim's dick. "It belongs to me. Everything does." Then he looked up again, holding Quindecim's gaze as he lapped at the underside of his sensitive cockhead before again beseeching, "Say you'll be mine."

Before he could say anything in return, Unum attacked the tip of his dick again, causing Quindecim to cry out and squeeze tight fistfuls of the blanket in his hands. And Unum stayed there, right there, right back to tormenting Quindecim in that one place, keeping him agonizingly hard, but without enough stimulation to get off. The longer Unum stayed there, licking and sucking, nursing the cock tip, the more of his mind Quindecim lost. He needed to come. He needed to come. He felt a line of drool slip from his mouth and he couldn't do anything about it. His fingers were imbedded in the blanket; his toes were bent and cramped and quite possibly stuck in that curled position forever, clutched around air and the last of his wits for eternity.

"Unum, _please_," he begged. "Please, I need to come. Please suck me. _Please_."

His pleas went unheard. Unum pulled off, slid his hand up and down the shaft only lightly while Quindecim whined in frustration. Lapping his tongue along the underside of Quindecim's erection in a narrow stripe, Unum continued to keep the stimulation in small areas, denying Quindecim the all-encompassing heat his body needed. When Unum again probed his tongue into Quindecim's cock slit, Quindecim felt tears wet his lashes.

"I'll do it," Quindecim heard his own voice say, though he didn't recall saying anything. "I'll live with you. Please let me live with you."

Unum pulled away again, though he didn't say anything. He simply gave a pleased little sound, then bowed his head once more, taking all of Quindecim's length into his mouth.

Quindecim's whole body convulsed. The overwhelming pleasure spread, from his dick to his groin to his balls. Everywhere went hot; everything burned with lust and love. He was a slave to Unum's whims – Unum's mouth – and he was okay with that, so long as he was allowed to come. If he had to give himself to Unum, then so be it – no other master would be as cruel and as kind.

And in moments – long and eternal, too-short moments – the whole world crashed around him in blinding white. Quindecim's head threw back, a loud and strangled gasp sounding from his wide-open mouth as his orgasm shook through his body. He came in a powerful rush, his seed shooting hard and hot into the warmth that continued to press around him, demanding all of him. If he'd had his wits about him, Quindecim may have been even more aroused that it was _Unum's_ mouth he filled with his cum – it was his _brother_ on his knees before him, drinking him down – but his mind was hollow, unable to think of anything as his body wracked with pleasure.

Coming down from the high was like floating, senses returning to him slowly as he was lifted and moved to lay out on the bed. He felt his plush pillow cradling his head, heard Unum's steady heartbeat alongside his own still-too-rapid one as they lied side-by-side. He tasted himself on his brother's lips when Unum leaned in for another kiss, and Quindecim slowly cracked his eyes open to see Unum's sparkling blue gaze studying his face.

Then Unum brought a hand up to stroke along the side of Quindecim's face. "Get some rest," he said, voice soft. "You've had a long day."

Quindecim let his eyes fall closed again. He wanted to ask Unum not to do anything to Professor Koe, but he was too tired. He had moaned and cried out too much; his voice wouldn't work. He was too warm.

Tomorrow. He would ask Unum tomorrow.


	22. Chapter 22

He didn't see Unum again for several days, never got a chance to ask him not to take any kind of retaliatory action against Professor Koe. He had to ultimately trust that Unum would leave it at the threat he had given. In the three days Quindecim had been allowed to stay home from school to heal, he had almost convinced himself it didn't matter anyway.

When he returned to school – walking stiffly on still-sore legs, black eye faded to a disgusting brown and yellow bruise, clad in yet another brand-new uniform – he found out Brent Katze and everyone involved in the attack had been suspended for a week. It would have been nicer if they had been expelled altogether, but it wasn't like an expensive private school was going to let go of a customer that easily. At the very least, it gave Quindecim a few more days to figure out what he was going to do to protect himself from the inevitable vendetta Brent would return with.

It was stupid imagining having to dash from the classroom to the front gate every day, and that probably wouldn't work anyway, since Brent was faster than him. He wondered how many times he could get away with having Shadow come into the school building, though that idea wouldn't work either, considering Shadow couldn't exactly open the front doors. Not with his paws, anyway.

Not with his paws...

"Did you hear about Professor Koe?"

Quindecim looked up fast enough to make his bruises throb, only to find the speaker hadn't been talking to him. Of course she hadn't; nobody ever talked to him. The two girls several desks in front of his leaned towards each other, gossiping shamelessly. Quindecim put his head down again, but kept his ears open.

"Apparently, he never called in or gave a reason for the days he was absent last week," the girl continued spilling to her friend. "The school didn't hear from him at all until today, when he suddenly called in and quit."

Quindecim's heart felt overly heavy in his chest – the worm in his stomach turned over, making him feel sick.

"When I was doing office duty this morning, I overheard Principal Davis say he didn't even ask for his final paycheck. He's just _gone_. They said he must have come in over the weekend, because his office key was on Davis's desk, but other than that..."

"Ugh, that _sucks_," the other girl whined. "He was the hottest teacher here."

"I know, _right_?"

He told himself he didn't ruin the man's life. Professor Koe still had his hospital job and his research; he still could make a respectable living in the field he loved. Or he could believe Unum's words that what happened wasn't his fault – that no amount of flirting made him responsible for a grown man's actions – but that was a harder pill to swallow. Perhaps it didn't matter either way.

He turned his head on his folded arms, only to end up finding Elizabeth Angelov staring at him with the saddest eyes he had ever seen. She looked heartbroken.

His nose crinkled at her in a tiny snarl and he turned away. It was her asshole friends who had done this to him, had him limping and suffering. Even if she herself hadn't done anything to him this time, she would still be right back to hanging out with them when they came back. She had no right acting sympathetic. She was guilty by association, and he didn't forgive her.

Not that she would get that. Admittedly, she was headstrong, brazen in a way he wasn't used to from girls of his social class. When he stood up and grabbed his lunch bag, she dared to approach his desk, as if he would want to speak with her.

"I'm sorry for what they did to you," she said.

Quindecim didn't respond.

"If I had known they were going to try something, I would have stopped them," she tried. "Or... at least warned you."

He looked up at her, giving a clearly annoyed sigh as he did. "You know, this hot and cold thing you do doesn't really make me like you any more," he said. "You can't be nice to me only when you're alone and expect me to think you're a decent person."

Elizabeth flinched as if she had been struck, lip quivering until she bit it. She didn't look so strong all of a sudden. Her voice was nearly a whisper when she replied, "We all protect ourselves in different ways."

Quindecim didn't care about whatever deeper meaning she had to that. He took a step forward, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with her to say, "The ones I need to protect myself from are _you_ and your friends." Then he continued on out of the room.

He meant to take his usual route, to head out the front doors and call for Shadow so that they could hide in one of their corners and have lunch together. His feet had other ideas, though. Safe to walk the halls for a few days at least, Quindecim found himself in front of Professor Koe's office door. For a moment, he was sure if he opened the door, he would see the handsome older man sitting at his desk, blinking up at him, cheeks tinged pink. He would smell the flavored tea that always permeated the office, creating a warm, home-like atmosphere. They would talk, Quindecim would flirt, Professor Koe would blush. It would be fun.

But when he pushed the door open, it was cold and empty. Most of his personal affects were gone, the shelves barren of their books and files. The mini-fridge that usually had a steaming electric kettle and assortment of teas and snacks on top of it was gone, leaving a blank space where it all once was. The air that once held the flavor of Earl Grey or matcha or sometimes jasmine now tasted of nothing at all, as if Professor Koe had scrubbed away any traces of his own existence.

The large, wooden desk remained, belonging to the school, as did the computer that sat on the desk's corner. And sitting in the middle of the desk, looking obvious and out of place, was a brown, paper gift bag.

Slipping silently into the office, Quindecim approached to see a tag hanging off the bag, bearing his name. A parting gift, or perhaps a last-ditch trap to teach the one who had cost him everything a lesson. Quindecim didn't really think about it as he pulled the bag to him and held it open to peer inside.

It was his uniform, the one he had been wearing last week when he was attacked. He dumped the contents of the bag out onto the desk, finding his schoolbag, wallet, and phone all in there with his uniform. Everything he had been carrying that day had been returned to him, cleaned and in perfect shape. The uniform slacks and blazer had been washed and pressed, the shoes shined. It was as if Professor Koe was attempting to apologize to him – a nice gesture, he supposed, though Quindecim had already replaced all of the items.

He tried the phone, but of course it was dead, gone days without charging. It wasn't like he needed two phones, though – perhaps he would give one to Shadow. How cute it would be, seeing the dog-man trying to use a cellphone.

Reminded of his waiting pet, Quindecim shoved everything back into the gift bag and left the silent office.

There was a lot of training to do for a plan that might not even work, but it was a plan Quindecim was fond of. If it didn't work, then he would flat-out hire a bodyguard, maybe pluck some poor boy off the street and offer him a scholarship in exchange for protective services. Surely Father would love the rumors that would spread if Quindecim suddenly had some guy by his side all the time. This plan, though, was slightly more covert, and a lot more interesting.

Step one was acquiring a larger uniform.

Jin handled that. Every time Quindecim needed a new uniform, Jin was the one sent to purchase it, so it wouldn't be difficult for him to get another. It did mean letting him in on Quindecim's idea, but that wasn't too much of an issue. He likely would have let the butler know anyway.

"You sleep through your lessons so much as it is." Jin voiced his concern when Quindecim told him what he had in mind. "Perhaps there is a better solution."

"The better solution would be to leave the school altogether and be homeschooled," Quindecim replied with a look before holding the uniform slacks up to Shadow's naked, human form. Of course they would fit – Jin was an excellent judge of size. "But I was told to deal with school-related problems myself, so that's what I'm doing."

"Young Master-"

"I've been lasting longer," Quindecim cut in, interrupting further protest. "Every time he changes, I last a little bit longer, and it doesn't make me sick anymore. My body has adjusted."

Jin's eyes lowered, but all he said was a quiet, "I do not wish to watch you bring harm to yourself." He left it at that.

Doubtlessly, losing another charge would kill Jin, in more ways than one. Quindecim understood that – he wasn't _completely_ devoid of empathy – but he knew what he was doing... Probably. "He won't be changing until the end of classes anyway," he muttered. "And it'll only be long enough for us to get off school grounds; then you can pick us up." That would make Jin happy.

Happy or not, Jin didn't say anything more about it. They worked together to dress Shadow in the crisp, new uniform, a complete set from tie to belt to shoes, and as expected, everything fit perfectly. When the finishing touches were completed – necktie straightened, shirt tucked in, and Shadow's persisting tail shoved down a pant-leg – they both stepped back to admire their work.

Aside from the dog ears on top of his head, Shadow looked just like any other student of Marble Hills Academy. The sleek cut of the uniform suited him just as well as the ripped jeans and t-shirt he wore before did, an attractive figure of long legs and graceful features. He had gotten so good at bi-pedal walking, when he trotted over to stand near Quindecim, the new shoes didn't seem to affect his gait at all. Just looking at him, one would never guess he was anything other than a regular high school student.

Quindecim reached up with both hands, burying his fingers into Shadow's hair and scratching at his scalp. "Good boy," he cooed. He could feel the smile splitting his face, but was unable to do anything about it. "Such a pretty boy." Shadow leaning into the touch only made him want to hold him closer, pet him more, even if his arms grew tired from being held up and his energy drained from him when they still had so much to do.

He only pulled away when Jin puffed a snort. "No one would ever believe me if I told them about this side of you, Young Master."

"If you told anyone, I would deny it to the heavens and back," Quindecim replied, and then he began to slide the uniform blazer off of Shadow's shoulders. They needed to get on to the next thing.

The uniform fit, but Shadow would have to be able to dress himself if he were going to infiltrate the school each day. They showed him piece-by-piece, Jin leading his hands while Quindecim showed what to do with his own uniform. The slacks and underwear were both fine, garments that Shadow was already used to. The shirt went on okay, though the buttons proved a challenge when Shadow still needed quite a bit of concentration to use his human fingers. He got it, though; he was a smart boy, and he got it.

Two hours later, Quindecim left teaching Shadow how to tie the necktie up to Jin. It was the last thing Shadow needed to master, and by then Quindecim was on his last dregs of energy. Even after a large energy drink, it was still an effort to keep his head up. So he sat against the headboard of his bed, assuring Jin he was fine, and simply watched.

Jin stood behind Shadow, first showing him how to tie the intricate knot, then undoing it and guiding Shadow's fingers to repeat the steps. It reminded Quindecim of memories once forgotten, when he was in Shadow's place, though younger and much smaller, and Jin taught him how to do a perfect Windsor. It was such a little thing, but it reminded Quindecim that without Jin, he might not have survived this long.

He felt another soft smile creep onto his lip as his eyes slowly closed.

They only had a few days, but once Shadow was able to dress himself quickly and completely, the rest came easy. A recording of the school bells got Shadow changing to his human form and getting dressed on the fourth chime, and from there they were able to train him to find the packed bundle of clothing inside the extra school bag, left in a hidden, out-of-the-way place on school grounds. The last step added was having Shadow find and guard Quindecim once dressed, and that was the easiest part of all. Though Shadow _hadn't_ ever been trained to track scents, he could always find Quindecim. Whether it was because he was _so_ familiar with Quindecim's scent or because of their linked souls, he didn't know, didn't care. All that mattered was that Shadow was always there for him when he needed him.

Saturday and Sunday, they held test runs on the school grounds, mostly empty except for the sports teams doing their weekend practice, and it went well. Jin played the recording of the chimes with long intervals in between, yet each time Shadow didn't move until the fourth one – the final bell. And all by himself, Shadow found the bag, changed, dressed, and ran into the school building without anyone batting an eye at him.

When the silence of Professor Koe's empty office was interrupted by the door being pushed open and Shadow rushing in to stand before him, Quindecim's heart swelled with pride.

"_Good boy_," he breathed as he held a hand out for Shadow to clasp. Then he hopped off the desk, commanded "Protect" with a fist pressed to his chest, and walked back to the front doors with Shadow walking pressed to his side and eyes alert.

Quindecim waited in a different part of the school each test run, but Shadow never failed to find him. And if Shadow was ever questioned by staff or addressed by other students, it clearly never stopped him. They were never stopped on their return to Jin, waiting in a car outside. It was as if Shadow belonged there, just another student of Marble Hills Academy.

Then Monday came, the real deal.

Brent Katze and his crew were back in school, sneering at Quindecim the second he stepped into the classroom. Quindecim straightened his back and walked a bit more casually, not letting them see the pain he was still in, though his cuts and bruises were basically all healed.

"How's your dog?" Brent asked in a low voice as he passed by.

Quindecim stiffened, his step pausing as his hand clenched around the strap of his bag. These assholes had killed Shadow, and showed no remorse for it. They thought it was funny. They were awful. Awful. Awful.

The worm living inside him nipped at Quindecim's gut, bringing his mind back to the bright classroom. His hand relaxed and he answered a steady, "He's fine."

Brent and most of his friends started to laugh as Quindecim walked away, but he didn't miss when Elizabeth slapped Brent on the arm and chastised, "Leave him alone."

Quindecim sat at his desk, and a few breaths later, the first bell rang.

He hoped this worked.

He was half asleep when the final bell of the day rang. He cracked an eye open, watching as his classmates gathered their things and began fleeing the room, not even waiting for Mr. Gate to properly dismiss them. Out of the corner of his gaze, he saw his tormentors with their heads close, whispering something while looking in Quindecim's direction. It was like the jerks didn't learn, or there were no repercussions for getting suspended in their families.

He watched them leave, waiting, not making any move to go himself. His heart beat harder with every moment that passed, thinking of all the things that could go wrong. Shadow could get confused by the greater number of people at the school on a weekday, or a teacher could stop and question him. Someone could have found the hidden bag of clothes and taken it, or discovered Shadow while he was dressing and recognized him as the streaker who had run through the halls weeks before and called the cops. There were so many things that could ruin the plan, leaving him with a possible bigger mess on his hands, or worse, and he couldn't tell if that twinge in his stomach was Shadow changing or him fretting himself sick.

But then a black head appeared, following his nose. Quindecim's chest warmed as Shadow's eyes landed on him and he ran into the room, straight to Quindecim's desk. Holding a hand up so that Shadow could lock their fingers together, Quindecim resisted petting Shadow's ears or lavishing too much praise on him – there were still other students milling about, and he didn't want to draw any more attention than Shadow was already getting from girls whose eyes ran down his toned form.

Pulling his hand away, Quindecim gathered his things and swung his bag across his shoulder, then put his fist to his chest and whispered, "Protect." He knew Shadow heard the command when he positioned himself close to Quindecim's side. With a tiny nod and a sigh to refocus, he readied himself. "Let's go."

He was aware of the eyes on him as he left the classroom and walked through the halls. Quindecim von Fürst, who had never had a friend in his life, suddenly had a tall and attractive guy plastered to his side. No doubt his peers would be curious, but they would get used to it. He owed them no explanation, and nobody asked for one anyway. Nobody talked to him, as usual.

Until he got to the court right before the front doors. He heard Brent call out, "Who the fuck is this?" but only spared the briefest glance before continuing towards the exit.

Brent stepped in front of him, blocking his path. "I asked you a question, Fürst." His voice and expression held a bit of irritation, as though annoyed that whatever scheme he had cooked up this time wasn't going as smoothly as planned. "Who the fuck is this?"

Without giving any sort of response, Quindecim moved to step around the boys blocking his path, and Shadow moved with him like they were connected. Shadow stuck right to his side, until Brent moved to cut him off again, drawing in closer. Shadow stepped in front of Quindecim, putting his body between him and Brent, a low growl starting up in the back of his throat.

"What the fuck, bro?" Brent raised his arms as if trying to make himself look bigger. "You wanna go?"

Shadow just growled louder, lips pulling back to bare his teeth.

"The fuck, Fürst? You paying some psycho to take the place of your dog?"

'Take the place of.' Quindecim almost laughed at that.

The tension rose like a threatening tide when Brent took another step forward, and Shadow snapped at him with an angry snarl. It made Brent pull back quickly, a sickened look on his face, disbelief and fear that they really were dealing with someone unstable to dangerous levels. An inhuman variable that Brent wasn't prepared to deal with.

The tide broke; Brent sneered and spat, "Fucking freaks," and then he turned and stalked away, his goons right behind him.

Whispers began to buzz around them, onlookers making judgements that didn't matter. The important thing – the _only_ important thing – was that it had worked. They had gotten Shadow into the school, and he had protected Quindecim. For now, the plan had worked.

"Good boy," Quindecim whispered, brushing his fingers down Shadow's arm.

Shadow turned and looked at him, then his tongue came out to pant lightly. It looked ridiculous on the human face, but Quindecim got it. Shadow was trying to smile.

He couldn't help but smile back.


	23. Chapter 23

"All right, Fürst. Spill." Elizabeth's plush chest bounced as she plopped into the chair of the desk in front of his. "Who's your friend?"

Quindecim just stared at her for a long time, hoping if he played mute long enough, she would give up and leave. When she tilted her head and stared right back, he sighed. "He's just someone I've made an agreement with."

"For protection?"

"Yes," Quindecim answered. "From you."

For a moment, Elizabeth's gaze darkened, and she muttered a quiet, "Not from me."

"From your associates, then. Close enough."

She snorted, but didn't try to defend herself any further. "So, what's his name?"

"That's none of your business."

"What grade is he in?"

"That's none of your business, either."

She stared at him a long stretch, looking almost annoyed – looking like he actually owed her any kind of explanation and was just being unfairly obstinate. "You know, there's a rumor going around," she said at last. "Some people are saying he's not even really a student here, since we can't find anyone in any grade who knows who he is."

"And you guys know everyone in the school." Time was drawing near. He began to pack the bundle of papers and stack of books from his desk into his bag.

"You know what I mean."

"I'm not going to start handing out someone else's personal information," Quindecim informed her as he stood and flung his bag across his shoulder. It was heavier than usual; mid-terms were coming up, and he needed to study. "If you want to know about him, you'll have to ask him yourself."

Not that they hadn't tried. In the weeks Shadow had been infiltrating the school to escort Quindecim out, several people had tried talking to the dog-turned-man, but they never got a word out of him, or hardly even a glance. The most acknowledgement Shadow ever gave anyone was to put himself between Quindecim and anyone who got too close, even if it was by accident. The one time Brent Katze and his gang tried stopping Shadow outside the classroom, before he could get to Quindecim's side, and question him, he almost got bit. Shadow had gone for it for real, and it was only quick reflexes that pulled Brent's arm away, centimeters away from snapping teeth.

No one had tried to get any information out of Shadow after that, and Elizabeth was the first to try going to Quindecim about the mysterious new boy.

"Just tell me where he's from," Elizabeth said.

"Can't you tell?" Quindecim replied. "He's my dog, magically transformed into a human, trained to protect me."

She scoffed, though there was a hint of amusement in her crinkled brow. "You're a freak."

Any trace of amusement quickly disappeared, however, when Shadow ran into the room, immediately reaching out to link fingers with Quindecim. He saw her eyes focus and fixate on their clasped hands, her body jerking back a fraction as if in shock – as if she herself hadn't made fun of him for such proclivities. Not that he was about to come out to anyone here.

He could still feel her gaze on him as he strolled out of the room, Shadow pressed tightly to his side.

He wasn't stupid – Quindecim told himself that many times – but being perpetually exhausted made focusing in class difficult, and that he often slept through lectures or missed school altogether didn't help matters. He was slightly behind in most subjects – history and literature especially, seeing as staring at books put him to sleep faster than Shadow falling off a cliff – but he always managed to pull through around test time. The study schedules Jin made for him helped, and the hourly check-ins made sure he actually stuck to it.

Math was slightly easier since it was just a matter of formulas and calculations. He knew what to do, and was in the midst of a marathon of practice problems that he needed to knock out and show Jin so it could be checked off the chart and he would be left alone for the night.

Shadow laid curled up next to his chair, calm and patient and happy just to be by his side, as always. The dog's head perked up, though, when the door to the room suddenly opened. He stood, tail wagging, when Unum entered the room, leaning up to receive head-pats after Unum had shut the door tightly and approached Quindecim's desk.

"Are you helping him with his homework?" Unum asked Shadow as he leaned down to dote on him a moment.

"He's not much of a help," Quindecim said blandly. "He can't even do addition."

Unum chuckled lightly as he straightened back up and turned a charming smile to Quindecim. He seemed to glow with some brilliant, internal happiness. "Moral support can be a big help too."

Quindecim's eyes pulled away as he gave a small hum, then simply acquiesced, "I suppose."

Then Unum was grabbing his wrist, pulling him to his feet. Before Quindecim could say anything, Unum leaned in and pressed a firm kiss to his lips. It was different than their usual kisses; there was no soft, comforting warmth to it. It was all heat and desire, a lover's kiss. Unum's tongue licked at his lip, slid into Quindecim's mouth when given entry. His hands went around Quindecim's body and slid down to his backside, squeezing handfuls of Quindecim's ass and spreading his cheeks. He used his hold to press their hips together, and Quindecim moaned into the kiss, growing hard at Unum's attention. His head swam, both intrigued and scared by the apparent change in their relationship.

He whimpered and Unum broke off the kiss, though his hands didn't release their hold on his ass. After delivering a quick nip to Quindecim's lower lip, Unum pulled back and beamed down at him. "I had the blueprints to my house altered."

"Wh- What?"

Unum's smile brightened, like a child anxious for his mother to open her gift on Christmas, excited for her approval. "On my estate. It's almost finished, but I was able to make some changes that won't push the schedule back too far." His hands slid up, over Quindecim's back, to bury into his silver hair. "A bedroom will be added for you, right next to mine. In addition to the regular door, it will have an entrance between our rooms." Then he pulled Quindecim to him again, holding him in a tight embrace as he added, "I'll be able to visit you any time I want, and nobody will ever know."

Quindecim was torn between elation that he would get to be with Unum, and disgust by the prospect of being Unum's mistress. The two conflicting emotions made his stomach nauseous. "What about your wife?" he asked. "Won't she notice if you're disappearing into the wall every night?"

"_Every night_?" Unum laughed joyously as he squeezed Quindecim more tightly. "You're already planning to wear me out." He laughed again. "I like it. But don't worry about a thing. Once Daniella gives birth, I'll have her moved to another room, closer to the nursery."

Pulling back to look up at his brother, Quindecim's brows drew together as his lip dipped in a frown. "That would be really suspicious."

"Not at all," Unum's smile was unrelenting. "It would be for the baby's sake, of course. And everyone will believe me, because I'm the heir." His hands moved down again, kneading the soft flesh of Quindecim's ass. Their hips ground together, and Unum leaned in, speaking in a near whisper. "I'll have it all; my position, my family, and my bride." Then he took Quindecim's lips in another kiss, tongue and teeth tasting each other, erections pushing against one another. Unum used his grip on Quindecim's ass to again press their hips closer, thrusting their bodies against each other.

Quindecim moaned, breaking off the kiss to bury his face into Unum's shoulder, clinging to his brother as he returned thrust for thrust. If they kept this up, kept humping against each other, grinding their cocks together, he was going to come in his pants. That was probably Unum's goal.

Then a knock came to the door, and Unum pulled away from him so quickly it almost hurt. A moment later, the door opened, and Jin entered.

Jin's steps halted when he saw Unum, clearly not expecting anyone else to be in the room. Giving a low bow, he greeted, "Master Unum, a pleasant surprise."

Unum smiled, charming. "I wanted to see my cute, little brother. I missed him."

Jin returned the smile, though his was more subdued. "Both young masters have been very busy lately, haven't you? Even living in the same house, it must be hard to meet."

"Yes," Unum answered. "Between finishing up my degree, planning the wedding and engagement party, and overseeing construction of my estate, I've felt a bit stretched thin." Then he reached up, ruffling a hand through Quindecim's hair. "But, I'm feeling better now."

Quindecim pulled his head away. "Annoying me makes you feel better?"

"Yep," Unum said in cheeky reply, grinning.

Jin's smile turned up. If he suspected at all what they had been doing just moments prior – if he knew of the very un-brotherly acts and plans they were engaged in – he didn't show it at all. "I'm glad for the both of you that you could visit. But, as Master Quindecim does have mid-term exams coming up that he must study for, I would ask that you don't take up too much of his time."

Unum nodded. "I was just about to go," he said, and then he pulled Quindecim into a quick, one-armed hug. "Good luck on your exams."

Quindecim shrugged him off, feeling every bit the petulant teenager he was at being left to his studies with a raging hard-on.

Tilting a fraction of a bow towards Jin as he passed by, Unum parted with, "Take care of him."

"I always do," Jin replied, bowing respectfully low once more. When they were alone, Jin's attention turned to Quindecim. "How are you progressing?"

Quindecim turned away to plop into his desk chair with a sigh. His dick throbbed. "Only, like, a hundred more equations to do." A bit of an exaggeration, but not much.

"If you have any questions on anything..."

"I don't," Quindecim said. "I've basically got it down."

Jin's smile reached his eyes, as if proud that his charge could do _math_, or perhaps amused at how bratty Quindecim could get over homework. "Then, I shall leave you to it. Be sure to call for me if you are in need of anything."

Quindecim waved him off as he turned and rested an elbow on the desk, dropping his head down into his palm. As soon as the door clicked closed, however, his hands flew to his pants, tearing open the fly to release his erection. As his hand wrapped around the hardened length, he hoped Unum was suffering as much as he was.

He squeezed his exposed dick, moaning softly as the equations in front of him swam in and out of his vision. He allowed himself a few strokes, pumping his fist slowly up and down the length, running his thumb over the head to spread a bead of precum. It pulled a strangled whimper from him, and then he stilled his hand.

He picked up his pencil.

With his left hand still wrapped tightly around his cock, he began to work on his studies again. He wouldn't let himself get off until he was finished – the best kind of incentive and worst kind of torture. But for all that he complained whenever Unum teased him, he always came the hardest when it was drawn out.

The equations seemed to become more difficult. It was hard to manipulate numbers when his mind was on his dick and he had to fight his hand not to stroke himself off. It was agony. He loved it.

He fought to solve a few more problems, his dick begging for attention, for a touch. Yet, when a warm tongue lapped over his fingers, across the sensitive head, he jerked back so hard, his chair fell over, dumping Quindecim onto the floor. After cursing to himself, he looked up to see Shadow standing over him, panting heavily.

"Shadow, no," Quindecim said, reaching to push the dog away.

Shadow didn't move away – didn't move at all, for a moment. Then he reared up, wrapping his paws around Quindecim's bent knee, and began to thrust his hips against Quindecim's leg.

"Shadow, _no_!" Quindecim stood while tucking his dick away hurriedly, forcing Shadow to drop down. His red cock was beginning to peek out of its sheath, and Quindecim's face warmed with blush even as he pointed a finger towards the other side of the room. "Go away, or I'll have you taken outside." He felt bad about the threat, though. It was his own fault Shadow got into a mood like this, arousal being shared through their link. It was still a relief when Shadow whimpered and wandered to the other side of the room.

Righting his chair, Quindecim sat with a deep, calming breath. His dick still hurt, still hard, craving release. He tried to ignore it, tried to focus his complete attention on the math problems in front of him, but it wasn't long before his hand drifted to his crotch again, adjusting himself and then not letting go. His hand squeezed his erection, his eyelids fluttered, and he again cursed Unum as he yanked his pants down his hips to expose himself to the room.

He should just do it and get it over with, get it out of his system, get off and get back to work. He allowed his hand to stroke himself, moaning quietly as he swiped his palm over the head to smear the leaking precum and soak his shaft, and then he began to jerk off in earnest. He didn't have time to play or enjoy himself.

He tried conjuring up a fantasy to make it more fun and make himself come faster. This was Unum's fault, so he pictured Unum in front of him, on his knees, taking him into his mouth and swallowing him down like his life depended on it. He pictured himself lying on his back, spreading his legs to take Unum inside himself, the future they would have if Unum got his way. He pictured Unum holding perfectly still with his dick buried deep in his ass, refusing to move until Quindecim begged for release, and only then would Unum pound into him frantically, pulling Quindecim's body onto his hard thrusts until-

A weight dragged itself along his calf, and Quindecim's eyes flew open, startled, to see Shadow, in human form, pawing at his leg with a human hand. Shadow sat on his knees on the floor, his erection jutting up between his legs, looking aching and needy. He whimpered when Quindecim's eyes turned to him.

Quindecim panted a few breaths. He was so hard, so close to coming, it was difficult to think straight. And when Shadow shuffled a few inches closer, whimpering again and resting his head on Quindecim's thigh, something in him snapped.

"Good boy," Quindecim cooed, running a hand through Shadow's hair before sliding down to cup his chin and lift his head up. "Good boy," he said again, and Shadow's tail began to beat happily against the white carpeted floor.

Pushing back the desk chair to make room, Quindecim led Shadow to crawl under the desk, until he sat with his head between Quindecim's legs. Then Quindecim slid fingers between Shadow's lips, pinching his canine teeth until he opened his mouth. A shiver ran down Quindecim's spine as he pushed his fingers in further, running them over Shadow's tongue. He touched all inside Shadow's mouth, feeling how soft and hot it was, turned on all the more by how Shadow just accepted it, letting Quindecim do what he wanted, nothing but love and adoration in his eyes.

With his left hand, Quindecim pushed up on Shadow's jaw, prompting him to close his mouth around the invading fingers of his right hand. Shadow would never hurt him, not on purpose, and the few times his jaw settled enough for teeth to graze Quindecim's fingers, Quindecim whimpered as though he had been injured, making Shadow immediately part his jaws just enough for Quindecim to continue thrusting his fingers in and out between his lips without being hurt.

He ached. His cock was so hard, he was in pain. So, with held breath, he eased his fingers back, pulling Shadow's mouth open again. It was inviting, that _human_ mouth, and Quindecim took hold of his dick again to aim it towards the wet warmth between Shadow's lips. The wet fingers of his right hand slid into Shadow's hair, pulling his head forward a fraction, but then he froze. His heart thudded. He couldn't figure out what he was doing.

Shadow's tongue came out to lick a stripe up the underside of Quindecim's cockhead, and Quindecim gasped a shuddering breath.

There was nothing to think about, nothing to question. Quindecim urged Shadow's head closer still, and when the tip of his dick slid between Shadow's lips, his breath caught in his throat. He didn't breathe again until he was surrounded, until the entire length of his erection was engulfed in the heat of Shadow's mouth, and then he carefully pushed up on Shadow's jaw again, sealing lips around him.

He took shallow breaths, the warmth that surrounded his dick driving him insane. He pulled back just a bit, then experimentally thrust back in, gasping softly as pleasure shot through him, lighting his senses up. And Shadow simply took it, sitting still, adoring eyes staring up at Quindecim. He swallowed around the cock in his mouth, squeezing around it, but his teeth never touched the sensitive flesh.

"Good boy..." Quindecim whispered again, body trembling with need as he ran his hand through Shadow's hair. He scratched behind Shadow's puppy ears, gave another tiny thrust into his mouth, and then held his hand up. "_Stay_," he commanded softly.

And then he picked up his pencil again.

He could hardly see the math problems in front of him, vision gone blurry with lust. His body screamed at him to push into the heat wrapped around his dick, to drive in deep, over and over, until he found the release he needed. But he refused. He relished the torture, embraced the agony of denial. He could almost feel the precum dripping out of him, and every time Shadow swallowed, he gripped his pencil so hard it threatened to snap. But still, he didn't give in, even if he seemed to grow harder and more desperate with every passing equation.

His hand seemed to move on its own over the last few problems, nearly in tears as his mind screamed at him as loudly as his body did. He needed to come. He needed to come. That's all that mattered.

He barely acknowledged when the last equation was done. The pencil flew from his hand, practically thrown across the desk, and then he reached down to sink his fingers into Shadow's black hair. Pulling to bring Shadow's head back, then pushing to sink his shaft in again, he finally gave in to his body's demands, plunging in and out of Shadow's willing, hot mouth.

"_Good boy_," he chanted, mind gone, breaths rapid. "Good boy. Good boy." His hands continued to tug on Shadow's hair as his hips bucked into the wet mouth. His dick left trails of precum over Shadow's tongue, and when Shadow swallowed it down, throat squeezing around Quindecim's cock, he cried out.

He was wound too tightly to last, ready and needing to come before he had even started. Mere moments and heavy breaths had gone by before he released with a loud moan, body tightening as he spilled heavy loads of cum into Shadow's mouth. He held Shadow's face to his groin as he came, hips twitching as his cock continued to pump his seed down Shadow's throat, and Shadow happily took it, accepting every drop.

He slumped in his chair, boneless, when it finally ended, sure he had never come so much before in his life. Between the homework and the blow job and sustaining Shadow's human form, he was overcome with exhaustion, on the verge of passing out. Then Shadow reared up to wrap arms around him, snuggling against Quindecim, and he pet fingers gently through Shadow's hair. He didn't think about what they had just done; it didn't matter; Shadow was human right now; he had done worse. Later on, when he could think straight, he would tell himself how easy it was to see that Shadow had wanted to do it, and ignore any voices that said it was just as easy to say that, as a dog, Shadow had no idea what he was doing. Despite his body right then, Shadow moved on instinct when it came to his wants and needs.

It was Shadow's instinct that had him pressing his hips against Quindecim's leg. He was still hard; his erect, human dick pushed into Quindecim's knee, seeking gratification. He whimpered, as desperate as Quindecim had been, and his arms tightened around Quindecim's waist.

He still wasn't thinking straight; that's what he told himself. Shadow had been such a good boy for him. It would be cruel to leave his best friend in such a needy state. So he pushed Shadow back and slid from his chair, onto his knees. They seemed to lean in together, lips meeting in a kiss that spread warmth all through him, tongues touching in a spark of electricity. Shadow scooted up to press into the kiss harder, his tail beating against each side of the desk he was still huddled under. Quindecim broke off the kiss and smiled, running hands through Shadow's hair before walking backwards on his knees, leading Shadow to an open area of the room.

Shadow followed on hands and knees, erection bobbing beneath him, and he eagerly pushed into another kiss as soon as he reached Quindecim. Quindecim's face warmed as his hand tentatively reached out to touch Shadow's bare chest, feeling hard muscle beneath soft skin. Slowly, he dragged his fingers down the smooth plane, touching each ridge of muscle as he made his way towards Shadow's groin. He paused at the brush of pubic hair; he had never touched another guy before, not even Unum. It had always been others coming on to him, doing what they wanted with him, playing with him like a toy and never letting Quindecim take the lead. Like he were a child, virginal, pure.

His fingers moved further down to feather the lightest touch along the length of Shadow's cock, causing Shadow's hips to buck against his hand. Shadow whimpered into their kiss, and Quindecim stroked lightly down the length once again, as if getting used to it. Whining, Shadow crept closer, trying to press his erection against Quindecim until, finally, Quindecim went for it. He slid his fingers around Shadow's dick, holding him in a tight grip, feeling its heat seeping into his palm.

Shadow immediately started bucking into Quindecim's hand, breaking the kiss to hang off of Quindecim's shoulders a moment before he ultimately dropped to his hands and knees. It must have been the most natural position for him, his instincts driving his body's movements. Perhaps it should have been a wake-up call, that no matter the face and body, Shadow was still a _dog_. Quindecim only felt happiness and wonder that he could do this for his friend.

It awoke his own lust once again, seeing Shadow like this. Feeling the heat and the weight of Shadow's erection in his hand had Quindecim's own cock flushing with arousal again, his young body seeking more and more pleasure. He moved almost subconsciously, drawing his hand away from Shadow's groin, watching without really taking in the way Shadow's hips continued to hump into empty air a few beats before whimpering and looking up at Quindecim with pleading eyes.

He pushed his already-sagging pants further down his thighs as he walked on his knees until he was behind Shadow. With one knee on either side of Shadow's right leg, he pressed his erection into the soft flesh of Shadow's thigh. Thrusting against Shadow sent jolts of pleasure through Quindecim's groin, spreading all through his body, to his toes, his fingertips, his fragile mind. It felt good – too good to stop.

Reaching around, Quindecim again took hold of Shadow's leaking dick, enclosing it in his fist. It only took a couple strokes before Shadow once again began to thrust into the tight grip, his thigh bashing against Quindecim's erection every time he drew back. All Quindecim had to do was hold on and let Shadow do all the work – let Shadow's desperate hips get the both of them off.

The room quickly filled with panting and whimpers and moans, and Quindecim couldn't tell who was making what noise. The back of Shadow's thigh was soaked with precum, just as Quindecim's fist was, dribbling all over each other as they both derived pleasure from each other. Though Quindecim had just come, his sensitive, hormonal body was ready to release again, needing to get off again, never satisfied.

"Shadow..." The name dropped from his lips before he realized it, whispered like a lover. He pressed up closer against Shadow's rutting hips, his left hand moving up to squeeze the flesh of Shadow's inner thigh, holding on tightly. "Shadow... _Shadow_..." The last one came out on a moan.

Shadow's thrusts sped up, desperate, and Quindecim groaned in need. Hand tightening further around Shadow's cock, Quindecim began stroking along with Shadow's movements, adding more and more stimulation. Shadow's panting breaths came faster, as did Quindecim's, both toeing the edge.

Then Quindecim tipped over the precipice again. His orgasm poured from him this time, a comparative trickle, but still pleasurable, still addicting. He didn't know if Shadow came at the same time or slightly after, but his lovely pet's hips had stopped moving, and Quindecim's hand and carpet were covered with Shadow's cum.

It was still for a moment, as if waiting for something. Then Shadow looked back at Quindecim, eyes still full of affection, and Quindecim couldn't even begin to guess what he was thinking, or if he was thinking anything at all. And when Shadow moved away, Quindecim fell over in exhaustion, no strength to hold himself up without Shadow's strong body to support him. He lay against the plush carpeting for a breath or two, and then felt Shadow lean over him, kissing his cheek and eye and ear.

He reached up to pet Shadow's hair, though he was fading fast. He welcomed the approaching darkness, not wanting to think about what he had done. With just enough strength and wherewithal to pull up his pants to hide his tryst when Jin next came in, Quindecim closed his eyes, sighed a breath, and died to the conscious world.


End file.
